


Footsteps

by BelovedMaeve



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-31
Updated: 2014-01-22
Packaged: 2017-12-25 06:09:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/949554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelovedMaeve/pseuds/BelovedMaeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow and David are de-aged to their eleven-year-old selves. Emma finds out more about them, and in doing so, understands more about herself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Magic Sucks

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: I really couldn’t help it. This is the first fandom I have been involved in where de-aging could actually be explained…through magic. And it makes sense…because there is real magic in Storybrooke! This story has been on my mind a long time. I began it last summer. Then when I heard Charming’s mom would appear, I stopped to see what would happen. Began again, after Lady of the Lake (sad that Ruth died, that took away an interesting plot point I was developing) then stopped again when I heard Charming’s real name was going to be revealed. Went back, changed Charming’s name to David, wrote some more.  
> If you have read any of my other stories, you’ll notice I have an interest in the Enchanted Forest childhood. This story is going to explore that much further. I have done research into Medieval children’s lives, because it is somewhat similar (despite magic and the power women have in the EF and minus the strong Christian element in Medieval times). Compared to contemporary American parenting, it could be considered brutal. In that particular time, it was not. I wanted to compare the differences in Emma’s somewhat atypical American upbringing, and her parents EF childhood. I also thought de-aging Snow and David would give Emma a chance to know her parents. In the stories where Emma is de-aged, Snow and David get to learn more about her and her childhood (and I love those stories, I really do). But they want to know more about her childhood, they already love her more then anything. I figure this way, Emma will see parts of herself in her parents, and have a better understanding of them. She may be able to reach a level of forgiveness that will allow her love them without fear or reservations.  
> Lastly, I have been going back and forth about Regina for two years now. The TWoP forum has been great for dissecting the character and having discussions. I will make this clear. I think Regina is a murderer and a rapist. She physically killed some, and ordered the death of others. She caused Emma’s separation from her parents, which for anyone who has know the family of a kidnapped or missing child, is an endless hurt. She convinced Henry he was crazy, and did it in the name of love. She has not earned redemption yet. Her redemption for all that she did has not even barely begun. That being said, I would enjoy seeing Regina being redeemed. As this is not real life (where I would see her locked away forever), it would be a fascinating journey. Miss Cam’s story Made all the Difference has shown the redemption story can be realistic and amazing. I also think Regina does love Henry, in her own way. She is his mother, as Emma is his mother. Additionally, I don’t think there has been nearly enough focus on the fact that she is or was also Snow’s mother. The time-line is convoluted but I think we can say that she acted as Snow’s mother as much, or nearly as much as Queen Eva. How she acted, or fulfilled this duty is questionable. I think it adds to the story, and Snow’s character, if we imagine Regina as a sometimes loving, sometimes cruel mother. It would explain Snow’s inability to condemn Regina. Like Regina and Cora, Regina and Snow’s relationship is complicated. I want to explore that further.  
> So, after that ridiculously long Author’s Note, if you are still interested…Read on!

Ch. 1: Magic Sucks

 

“I hate magic,” said Emma. “I mean I really, really hate magic,” she barely restrained herself from kicking the desk.

Red looked at her sympathetically “I know.”

“I don't think you do,” said Emma. “Magic keeps screwing with my life.”

“ _I_ don't know?” said Ruby. “Really?” She gave Emma a significant look.

“Right, sorry,” said Emma “but…” She swallowed the rest of what she wanted to say. The truth was, magic complicated her life in a way that would have her checked into a psych ward in any other place on the planet. Case in point. She was looking at two miniature versions of her parents.

“Well,” said Red after a moment. “They are pretty cute.”

“Yeah,” Emma said, disgruntled. They were cute. But cute was not helpful right now. They didn't know who she was. They didn't seem to know each other. She sighed and let her head drop in her hands.

Ruby looked over at the children, who were seated on a bench near one of the cells. They looked about ten, maybe eleven. Snow’s hair was overrun with curls that cascaded down her back, her hands neatly folded in her lap, back straight. David's hair was a little longer than usual but it was a bright blonde. He swung his legs nervously as he picked at the collar of his shirt. They weren’t wearing the clothes they had on that morning. Red recognized the clothing as being from the Enchanted Forest. Of course, this led to the question: was it Snow and David, miniaturized back into children? Or had Snow and David the children been transported from the Enchanted Forest, and adults shipped back to the Enchanted Forest? She sighed and turned to Emma. “What happened?” she asked again.

Emma’s voice was muffled in her arms. “We were in the woods. Snow and David were ahead of me. I was checking the trail near the river. I heard a banging sound and saw a bright flash of something green. When I ran towards it…I found them,” she waved her hand a little, “Like this”.

When she had seen Snow cringing at the sound of the airplane and their wide-eyed response to her gun, she realized that not only were they children, but they had no memories of this world.

Getting them back to Sheriff station taken a great deal of coaxing...and hand-holding.

“I’ll go to Granny’s,” suggested Red, putting on her coat. “Get them some food.”

“Food?” questioned Emma helplessly, “How’s that going to help anything? Is it _magic_ food?”

“Everyone does better on a full stomach,” Red said firmly. “I’ll be back in like- ten minutes, okay?”

Emma considered begging her to stay but decided Ruby was probably right. Food certainly couldn’t hurt anyway. “Alright. Grilled Cheese for me, please.”

Red rolled her eyes, “As if I didn’t know.” She walked out the door, giving the children a reassuring glance as she left.

As the door swung shut, the children gave Emma identical, anxious looks. Emma dropped her head back in her hands, wondering what to do, wondering who to ask for help. The Blue Fairy? Rumpelstiltskin? She was a little afraid to let anyone know what happened. Henry might be a good start, even if she felt badly for relying so much on an eleven year old. Some minutes had gone by when she heard one of the children lightly clearing their throat, and raised her eyes once again.

"Sheriff?" It was the boy. It was David.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Are you going to find my mother?"

She searched his face. The blue eyes and the frown furrowing his face were achingly familiar.

Emma sighed, “I…I don’t know kid,” she said honestly.

Her words seemed to echo in the small space. They were all silent another few minutes when David spoke again.

“Then I need to go back to the forest. My mother says that when I am lost, I need to stay in one place. That way…she will find me.” His tone was resolute and his eyes held utter faith..

Emma felt a pain in her chest at the familiar words. He was so sure of his mother’s rescue.

Snow looked between them, then addressed Emma. “My parents will be searching for me as well. Please, please sheriff. Let us go to them,” her green eyes were pleading.

Emma had the fleeting thought of how good her parents would be at soothing these children, reassuring them, knowing the right words to say to them. She needed her parents. For this, and for so many other things. It was like being an orphan all over again. She opened her mouth to reply.

Red chose that moment to re-enter the station. The smell of the food caused all of them to turn and look at her. Red smiled easily. “Alright everyone, let’s eat.”

Both children hung back nervously, but Emma actually heard David’s stomach rumble. None of them had eaten since breakfast, and that was nearly seven hours ago. “We need to eat,” Emma made her voice firm and authorative. “Then we can talk about what to do next.”

Red unpacked the food and paper plates. Emma noticed that except for her sandwich, the food was very plain. Chicken, vegetables, and water to drink.

Snow walked over to the table, and glanced up at Red. A smile crept over her face. “The food looks quite good. Thank you.”

Red lay a fond hand on the child’s head. “No problem, kiddo.”

Snow frowned slightly. “What is this kiddo you speak of?”

Emma felt a laugh bubble up, the first after this whole situation had begun. Red gave her a grin in return.  “It’s a nickname. A small-name,” she corrected herself. “It’s meant as an endearment.”

“I see,” Snow’s smile returned as she seated herself at the table.

Emma walked over to the bench, and crouched down until she was face-to-face with David. She gentled her voice. “Don’t you want to eat David? I know you must be hungry.”

“I’m able to work, to pay for my meal,” he said steadily. “Cleaning, whatever you wish.”

“You don’t need to pay for anything David.”

David’s mouth firmed.  “My mother and I don’t accept alms-givings.”

Emma looked at Red. “We consider you our friends, David. That’s the spirit the food is offered,” Red said.

The speech was so formal, it was making Emma uncomfortable. “C’mon kid,” she coaxed. “I’m so hungry I could eat Chimera, but believe me, this is a lot better.”

David’s smile, although only slowly appearing, was as brilliant as Snow’s. “Thank you.” He came closer to the table, and glanced hesitatingly at Snow and Red. Snow reached out to grasp his hand. “Please sit by me David,” Snow requested shyly.

David’s eyes lit up and he eagerly complied. Clearly he was already smitten. Emma felt slightly relieved. It was good that _some_ things hadn’t changed.

The dinner conversation was stilted. Red did most of the talking. Emma was impressed that she switched so easily from contemporary American to what she privately called “Enchanted Forest-ese”.  The children in return seemed overwhelmed, but they did eat.

As the meal began drawing to a close, Emma realized she had a problem. It was too early to go home, she wanted to try and figure out what had happened. But she didn’t know how she was going to answer her parents’ earlier questions. Before her mind could latch on and really worry at the problem, Henry burst into the sheriff’s station.

“Mom!” he yelled. “Mom I heard…” he stopped and stared at Snow and David, who gazed wide-eyed at him. “Holy cr-…,” he started. He looked at Emma. “It’s true!? That’s Gramma and Grampa?”

Emma got up from the table to quickly that she knocked her plate over. Swiftly she hustled Henry out the door. “Shhh,” she hissed fiercely. “They don’t know who…wait, how did you know?”

He looked completely stunned. He blinked several times before he seemed to hear her. “Grumpy told me,” he said simply.

“Who told Grumpy? Does anyone else know?” Emma shook his sleeve slightly.

He shrugged. “I dunno. He just told me and I ran here as fast as I could.” He looked at he anxiously. “Do they know where they are, who we are?”

Emma closed her eyes and shook her head, unable to see the disappointment she knew she would face. She felt her son’s arms wrap around her and she hugged him tightly. She took a deep breath, then spoke. “I really need your help Henry. We need to take care of them. I need to turn them back to themselves. I need…” her voice broke a little.

Henry hugged her more tightly. “I’ll help mom,” he promised. “Just tell me what you want me to do.”

“Okay…okay,” she took some breaths. She needed to toughen up. “If you could play with them…distract them a little bit, that would be great. They’re really scared right now, and I need to be able to get things done without -”

“I can do that Mom,” Henry interrupted. “That’s easy. We’ll find something to play.”

Emma squeezed his hand, as they walked back into the main room. Snow and David looked up when they entered.

“Well, kids,” Emma said. “I think we can –“

They were interrupted by the sound of clicking heels. Emma’s eyes met Red’s only a second before a familiar form filled the doorway.

“I hear there’s a little problem.”

“Mother!” said Snow delightedly. She looked at Emma, the smile lighting her face rivaling the sun. “You found my mother!” She ran over to Regina Mills and threw her arms around her.

Emma stood in stunned horror, unable to move. “Oh sh-“


	2. Discoveries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I’m going to spare you the scenes of David and Snow trying to untangle the language around them and vice versa. Although I find that sort of thing interesting, I’m a bit of a word nerd. I’m trying very hard to keep Snow and David’s speech within the Old English/Middle English patterns, so if you notice something that’s off, please let me know.

Ch. 2: Discoveries

 

The look on Regina's face was hard to read. Her hands drifted down to grasp the little girl's upper arms. “Snow,” she said, her voice low…incredulous.

Both Emma and Red moved towards the two. “Snow,” Emma warned.

Snow's face, as she turned to meet theirs, was luminous. “You found her,” she said again.

Emma hadn’t realized David moved until she heard his voice at her elbow. “Did you find my mother too?” he asked hopefully.

Emma felt the reply stick in her throat. She shook her head numbly and watched sadness steal over his features, unfortunately she had a more urgent concern. “Snow,” she said again.

“Yes?” asked Snow calmly, her arms still around Regina.

Emma fought the urge to tear the little girl away from the former Queen. Two and a half years, a trip to Neverland, and sharing a son had lessened, not erased the contention between them. But she knew she couldn't scare the child. She moved closer until she was in arms reach of them both.

“Regina,” she said warningly.

“So it's true,” there was faint amazement in the former Queen’s voice.

“Yeah,” Emma replied tersely.

“How…interesting,” said Regina speculatively.

Emma felt the hairs at the nape of her neck prickle and this time she put her hands on Snow's shoulders. She tried to make it look natural as she pulled the little girl back towards the table. “Let's sit down and talk,” she invited carefully. Anything to get Snow out of Regina’s grasp.

Snow willingly moved forward but immediately reached for Regina's hand. ”Is Father here too? Where is he?” she prattled anxiously as she sat next to Regina.

Emma shot Regina a warning look, but Regina didn’t bother to glance at her. “He’s on a journey right now, dear. But he’ll be back soon.”

Snow’s face fell a little, but she sat closely to Regina. She didn’t seem to notice Regina’s frame stiffen.

Through Emma's general unease she saw the longing look David cast them, and her heart hurt a little for him, he stood close to her, but did not sit.

Ruby and  Emma sat on opposite ends of the table, well within reach of the children. “Okay,” Emma said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Regina raised an amused eyebrow, and slid her hand out of Snow’s. “Indeed,” she said, “And how did this delightful little development take place?”

Emma was not amused. “If you're asking how this happened, I don't know,” she responded curtly.

The children looked back-and-forth between the adults, concern creasing their faces. Ruby nodded significantly towards the children, and looked at Emma.

Emma looked at David, then Snow. “Henry was going to show you some of the games we have,” she said as Henry appeared from the inner office, holding a box. “Why don't you guys go play for awhile?”

Henry caught her intent immediately and nodded enthusiastically. “Sure!” he said with artificial brightness. He gave Regina a nod, which she returned with a smile.

David looked between the adults, then at Snow who was still frowning. "I don't believe I shall," she said slowly. “I would like to understand what has happened.”

Emma tried not to roll her eyes. Definitely still Snow. Apparently her perchance for stubbornness began a s a child.

Regina smirked a little at her, then turned to the little girl. "Go play, dear," she said her tone dripping with  saccharine sweetness. "There's really nothing for you to worry about. Just adult conversation."

Snow didn't look convinced but she nodded in acquiescence, eyes narrowed slightly. “Very well,” she said primly and rose from the table.

David followed her immediately and the two lightly brushed fingers as they moved towards the opposite end of the Sheriff’s station, where Henry had dug out a checkerboard.

“What are you doing here, Regina?” demanded Emma.

“I heard something _magical_ had happened,” said Regina. “I wanted more information.”

Emma looked at her suspiciously, “Seriously?”

“Really, dear,” said Regina. “Do you expect some ulterior motive?”

Emma’s mouth opened in slack-jawed amazement. This woman was unbelievable. Did she…? “Let me see,” said Emma sarcastically. “About two hours ago my parents were turned into children. By magic. Hmmmm. Who in his town has magic and would want to make my parents helpless?” she tapped her chin in pretend contemplation.

“It is peculiar,” said Red.

“Down girl,” Regina said snidely.

"Hey!" said Emma. "Watch it."

Red raised a hand to indicate that Emma should drop it. “We need to figure out how this happened and why,” she said, purposefully ignoring Regina.

Two hours later and after adding Dr. Hopper, Granny,  Leroy, and Blue to the discussion, they hadn't come any closer to figuring out what had happened.

Emma sighed wearily. “All right, we need to pick this up later. If any of you have an idea, let me know soon as you can. Call me. I'll keep my  cell charged at all times. We’ll meet tomorrow at 10:30 and try again.”

The others started to move out of the room leaving Regina, Granny, Emma, Red and the children alone in the sheriff’s station. Snow, who had been eyeing the group sidewise during the entire meeting, moved closer to the adults. “Is it time to leave?” she asked, looking at Regina.

Regina opened her mouth to speak, a fake smile already plastered to her face.

Emma made a sound between a strangled cough and a curse. “Oh I don't think so!” she spat.

Snow's eyes found hers. "Pardon?" she asked incredulously.

Emma grabbed Regina by her elbow and hauled them out the sheriff’s station door, Red trailing behind them.

“I don't know what you're playing at Regina,” Emma said. “But my mother is not going home with you.”

“I don’t recall _asking_ the little brat to stay with me,” Regina said icily.

Emma changed her grip to the lapels of the other woman’s shirt and slammed her into the wall. “Don’t screw around here Regina. I guarantee I’ll make you regret it.”

“I’m quivering in fear,” Regina returned archly.

Emma actually reached her arm back to punch her, when she felt a firm grasp on her elbow.

“Don’t,” Red said firmly. “You’ll scare the children.”

Emma lowered her arm and shoved Regina away from her. She peeked through the half-open door and watched a moment as Granny lowered her head to listen to something David was telling her. “Alright. The kids will stay with me.”

“Three children? In that tiny little hovel? Henry should stay with me. He’ll have more space.”

“They’re staying with me!” Emma yelled, biting off the words.

Regina opened her mouth, then stopped, a triumphant smirk sneaking over her lips.

“What-,” Emma began.

“I want to go home,” said a soft but unmistakably firm voice behind her.

Emma spun around to confront Snow. She was looking at them seriously. “I’m very tired, and I want to go home now please,” she directed her plea to Regina.

Regina gave Emma an evil smile, then turned to the little girl sadly. “I’m afraid the Sheriff isn’t going to let you come home with me,” she said.

“Why!” asked Snow tremulously.

Regina opened her mouth and Emma interrupted her quickly. “Regina isn’t feeling very well. We don’t want you to get sick,” she gave Regina a threatening look.

Regina opened her mouth to retort, but then caught sight of Henry, who had moved closer to the conversation as soon as he heard raised voices. He looked at her steadily. She glanced at Emma, then Snow. “That’s right,” she said insincerely. “I’m not feeling quite myself. I’ll see you tomorrow though.” She began to move away from the group.

Snow caught her in a hug. “Don’t go yet,” she pleaded. “We haven’t had a chance to talk. Henry’s been telling us stories, and I’m so…”

Regina had stiffened as soon as she felt Snow’s hands on her. Her voice was cool. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she repeated.

Snow’s face looked hurt and bewildered as she watched Regina hug Henry, and whisper something to him. Red took her hand. “I hear you’re exceptionally good at Draughts,” she said kindly. “Want to see if you can defeat me?”

Snow let Red pull her away, but the pained expression her face bothered Emma terribly. She felt a warm presence appear beside her once again. “I don’t like her,” said David simply, his gaze switching from Regina, to Snow’s retreating form. “I don’t think she’s a nice mother at all.”

Emma looked at him. His eyes were dark with distrust and he was looking at Snow protectively. “It’ll be okay kid,” she said, trying to reassure him.

David eyes were dark. “You can’t trust Royals, or anyone of lineage,” he said bitterly.

“Snow’s a Royal,” Emma said lightly, realizing the kids must have been talking quite a bit.

David’s eyes cleared, and he ducked his head shyly. “She’s different,” he mumbled.

“Uh-huh,” said Emma, a small grin easing it’s way onto her features. She put her arm around his shoulders. “I think we need to get some sleep, what do you say?”

“I said nothing,” said David.

Emma sighed. “Let’s go to my place kid. We need to rest.”

David nodded. “I suppose. I mean, if my mother isn’t here,” he craned his neck around to look, as if wishing would bring her to him.

“I’ll find her, David,” Emma said, hating the fact she was lying but unable to tell him he would never see his mother again. “Meanwhile, Henry and I have a very nice place. You and Snow can stay with us.”

David fixed her serious gaze. “Henry said you’re his mom.”

“Yeah.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Emma waited, but he said nothing. “David?” she prompted.

He shook his head.

“Alright, I have to do something first. You go over there with Snow and Henry.”

David nodded silently and Emma made eye contact with Red and Granny. She raised her cell and pointed out the door. They nodded.

After her call to Dr. Whale to have him meet them at the house, Emma took the children home. David had devolved to monosyllables and Snow, who had been doing better after she saw Regina, was the same. When Dr. Whale examined them, he said they were probably in a state of shock. They needed to be kept warm, and go to bed as soon as possible. Emma nodded her thanks.

David was looking around vaguely. “Who else lives here?” he asked.

Emma hesitated. “Just Henry and me.”

“It’s so large!” his voice held an exhausted amazement.

Snow had been gazing about as well, but at his words she scowled and mumbled something under her breath. She was beginning to look cranky and upset.

“Okay,” Emma announced. “Boys, you are going to sleep upstairs. Henry, you can show David where it is, and give him something to sleep in.”

David paused then said hesitantly, “I usually sleep in my underclothes. May I do so this evening? Please?”

Emma shrugged. “Sure. Yeah. I’ll come up and say good night,” she told their departing backs.

She turned to Snow. “You get to sleep with me kiddo.”

“I won’t have my own bed?”

Emma shook her head. “C’mon, I have a shirt that can pass as a nightgown.”

Snow seemed bewildered, but she followed Emma to the bed and took the shirt when Emma passed it to her. They stood gazing at one another, unmoving.

Emma cleared her throat. “Uh…do you need help Snow?” she asked finally.

Snow nodded, relieved. “Yes please. Unbutton the back of my dress.”

Emma swiftly unbuttoned the garment, noting the ludicrous amount of buttons on the child’s gown. She slid it down her shoulders. “You okay now?” she asked.

Snow paused, and Emma had vague movie-style recollections of queens and ladies-in-waiting and all that stuff. “Do you need my help to get undressed?” she asked uneasily.

The child shook her head. “No. I am quite capable.”

Relieved, Emma went to check on the boys. David was already asleep, the lines of fatigue on his face smoothed out.

Henry grinned at her from the other side of the bed. “By the time I got my pajamas on, he was gone.” He held a new book in his hands. A Kingfisher book about the Middle Ages.

“Research?” Emma asked, indicating the book.

“I thought it would be a good idea. It was kinda a scary time, Mom. Lot’s of bad stuff happened. Killing, plagues, and stuff.”

Emma nodded. “You want to have some hot chocolate? Talk?”

Henry nodded eagerly, his brown hair bouncing a little as he did so.

“Let me get Snow to sleep, give me about ten minutes,” Emma gave a swift visual sweep of the room as she spoke.

“Okay,” Henry had already turned his attention back to the book.

Emma paused at the side of the bed where her father lay. She stroked his hair gently. “Night Dad,” she whispered.

When she walked downstairs, Snow was sitting on the bed, knees pulled towards her chest. The cheerfulness of the Looney Tunes t-shirt was a stark contrast to the pensiveness on her face. “Hey kid,” Emma said quietly.

Snow turned to her, her eyes immeasurably sad and showing complete exhaustion.

Emma sat next to her, unsurprised when the child lay her head on her shoulder. Snow had always been physically affectionate, and Emma had always had a hard time resisting her. “You tired? Want to go to sleep?” Emma asked.

Snow nodded, so Emma moved her until she was laying on the pillow. She began stroking Snow’s hair. It was so long and curly. She had known her mother had hair like hers, but that was only from the stories. Snow kept her hair cut short these days. Emma marveled that the texture and length were so like her own.

“Will I see my mother tomorrow?” asked Snow tiredly.

Emma tensed, nodded, then realized Snow couldn’t see her with her eyes closed. “Yeah,” she said.  She hummed lightly as she felt the little girl grip her hand. Snow relaxed, and within moments, her heavy breathing told Emma she was asleep.

She spent the next hour discussing Medieval history with her son. He was full of facts and questions…and concerns. Emma knew how much he loved his grandparents. She felt bad that she wasn’t able to give him more than vague reassurances. After a couple of hours, she sent him to bed.  That done, she sat at the table, lit a candle, and stared thoughtfully into the flame.

When Emma awoke the next morning, she found that Snow was laying peacefully on her shoulder, breathing in peaceful exhalations. Gently, Emma moved her until she was freed. She sat on the side of the bed for a minute, marveling at her mother’s slumbering, childish face. She heard soft noises from the living room, so she crept out from behind the curtain.

She found David sweeping the living room floor with quick, economical motions. “Hey kid,” she said quietly.

David jumped and turned to her, eyes wide. “Hey, hey. It’s okay, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Emma assured him.

“I was trying to be quiet,” he whispered, the broom clutched in his hands.

“You were,” Emma said. “I barely heard you.” She took in his appearance. He was dressed in the same clothing as yesterday and his face and hair were clean. “How long have you been up?”

“Since sun up,” he responded quietly, bouncing a little on his feet, twirling the broom in his hands, then stopping when she looked at him.

“Well that’s been…that’s been like two hours kid! You should have woken me up…” She stopped at the horrified look on his face.

“I would never have woken you, not with all your kindness to me,” he said earnestly.

She looked at the kitchen. The floors looked slightly wet. “So you cleaned.”

David nodded, looking pleased. “It took me awhile to find what I needed. I swept up here,” he indicated the living room, “And washed the floors there,” this time indicating the kitchen. Emma looked at him, feeling a little stunned. “I hope that’s all right. I just wanted to help. I help Mama – Mother all the time,” he stammered, as she continued to stare at him.

Emma touched his head lightly. “Of course it’s okay. You just…you don’t need to do so much.”

“I wanted to help,” he repeated stubbornly, the blue in his eyes shimmering.

“Thanks,” Emma said. The grin he gave her was all David and it made her feel both ridiculously sad and happy at the same time. She turned and headed for the kitchen. “You must be hungry,” she said over her shoulder, “Since you’ve been up for so long.”

He looked at her carefully, trailing behind her with the broom still in his hands. “No, not very. You can give the food to Henry and Snow.”

She heard a familiar tone in his voice so she stopped and turned. “We have food for everyone David,” she said firmly.

He looked at her suspiciously. “You weren’t expecting Snow or I?” he queried.

“No,” she said, tapping her fingers on the kitchen counters impatiently.

“Then how do you have enough food for two more people?” he asked earnestly.

Emma sighed, rolled her eyes. “If we didn’t have enough food, I would buy more,” she said.

“But what if…” Emma held up her hand and David’s mouth closed with a click.

“Look. I’m hungry, so here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to make breakfast, wake up Snow and Henry, and eat. Okay?”

David backed down although not without giving her an assessing type of look. “What will we break our fast with?” he inquired politely.

“What do you usually have?” Emma said curiously, opening the door to refrigerator.

“Porridge,” said David without hesitation.

“I guess Goldilocks has visited your house,” Emma joked, taking food out of the refrigerator and laying it on the counter. David looked confused. “You know because in the story she…look, never mind. What did you have with your porridge?

“Fruit and nuts when we can find them. Eggs,” he said. She heard his stomach give a rumble.

She stuck her head out of the fridge. “Well, we don’t have porridge but we do have eggs and bread. We’ll have that. And some fruit. Sound good?”

“Very good,” he responded politely, moving to put the broom back in the cupboard.

Emma had a feeling that he would have said that no matter what she had offered. She was beginning to get an inkling that her father, as a child, tried to be as agreeable as possible.

After Snow and Henry had awoken and they had all eaten breakfast, Emma decided to take them to play in the park.

Snow had been worried about getting her clothing dirty so she had borrowed a pair of Henry's pants and a shirt. They were big on her and she had been puzzled by the zipper, but after they figured all that out, she was ready to go.

Being as it was a school day, they were pretty much the only ones the park. There were a few toddlers, but they stayed away from the jungle gym where the older children usually played, content to toddle around in the sand.

In between calls to various town members, Emma watched as Henry, David, and Snow ran riotously around the playground. Henry was Henry of course, playing with vigor and a great deal of laughter. Snow was fearless. She stood on top of the jungle gym, nimble in her borrowed shoes. Emma's heart was in her throat dozens of times as she watched her mother scale trees and jump from high places. David was as bold as Snow but more gentle. Where she would push or swipe at him with a stick, obviously meant to be a sword, he would not. Henry was a different matter, but to Snow he was the picture of gallantry. After some time, he left the other two and wandered over to Emma, planting himself in front of her.

She finished talking with Leroy, then clicked off the phone. "Hey kid," she said, “Aren't you having fun?”

His eyes were bright and cheeks flushed. “Indeed,” he said, “But is this all we’re going to do?”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Don't you have any work to do?” He twisted his fingers in his shirt as he asked.

“Yeah,” said Emma "we're going to meet with the others in a half hour or so. I’ll get some work done then.”

“Oh,” said David thoughtfully. He looked over at Henry and Snow and smiled the same fond smile she saw on his face as an adult. He settled next to her on the bench, seemingly content to stay there.

“You don't like playing?” teased Emma, automatically pocketing her cell phone.

“I like it a great deal,” he said honestly, bouncing  energetically on the bench. “I'm just not accustomed to so much of it."

“What do you mean?” asked Emma. She hadn’t spoken to her parents very much about their childhoods. They always wanted to know about hers. They would ask question after question until… her eyes unexpectedly filled with tears. She blinked them away, hoping her father hadn’t noticed.

“Well most the time I take care of the sheep,” he said, unconsciously listing them on his fingers. “I have to take them to different places so they have enough to eat. Then I help with the crops that Ma-Mother and I grow. It's not a lot of food, just enough for us to eat or trade. But we have to weed it, plow it. Springtime is the hardest because the lambs are being born. We don't sleep much then. That happens at shearing time too. Some of the wool we sell, and  the rest of it we turn into yarn so Mama can make our clothes. I haul water. Chop wood for fire," he looked at Emma honestly. “There's other smaller chores, but they don’t take long.”

Emma looked at little boy, who was only a bit younger than Henry. “You must be a big help to your mother,” she said finally.

David nodded and she could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. "I try to be," he said. "I'm so worried about her being alone right now. She needs my help. How will she get everything done without me? What if they take the farm because she can't do all the work?" His words came faster and faster.

Emma realize that these thoughts must've been plaguing him all night. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know how to console him without frightening him or upsetting him. She needed to lie. "I bet she is getting help,” she said. “I was talking to some of my friends and the word got passed around. So wherever she is, she'll get the help she needs."

David's gaze was suspicious. "If you can do that, than why can't you find my mother?" he asked.

“Well,” she said, “That's different. It's not so much that I can't find your mom, it's that we can't get to her. There's a spell around this town. We can't leave. If we do…bad things happen.  That doesn't mean we can't communicate with other people outside Storybrooke." It was easier to mix the truth in with the lies. Easier to believe.

She watched as David's posture became straighter and he looked at her seriously. “So my mother has a way she can get help?" he asked, “Even if I can’t talk with her or see her, even though this place is far away from my home?”

“Yes,” said Emma firmly. She refused to let him worry about something that was impossible to change.

He still seemed worried, but as there was nothing he could about it, he sighed and slumped a little on the bench.

“Do you want to play some more?” asked Emma, not knowing what else to say. She could tell he had more questions, but Red said he and Snow probably wouldn’t ask a lot of questions, even if they really wanted to know something. Apparently one of the Enchanted Forest rules for raising children contained the old adage, “children should be seen and not heard”. That worked in her favor right now.

He nodded, some of his hair flopping into his eyes.

She fought the urge to brush it from his face. “You say ‘okay’,” she said.

“Pardon?” he had risen half-way but looked to her in confusion.

"Another way to say 'yes' here, is ‘okay’, so if I say ‘do you want to play now?’, you say ‘okay’. Understand?" through this convoluted explanation she saw a curious sparkle in his eyes.

David gave her a tiny smile. “Okay,” he said simply.

As soon as he left, she made some more phone calls. At 10:15 she ended the children’s play and they left to meet the others at the sheriff's station. Granny, Red, Leroy, Dr. Hopper, and Blue were there, Regina was not. While the children played, the adults discussed the situation. None of them had heard much in the way of news. No one was claiming the transformation as their own. They had a small list of suspects, and half of them were in the room. Blue talked about some more experiments she wanted to try. Leroy was sure the diamonds from the mines, ground into fairy dust, would help. Neither Granny nor Red could sense or smell the presence of anyone new in town, so the town’s shielding seemed to be holding. The group broke up again, no further along than they were the day before.

Emma had some paperwork to finish up in the station, so she let the children continue to play. Granny and Red had promised to babysit that evening so she could go out and do some detective work of her own. She was irritated when she heard the sound of clicking heels once more.

"Mother!" Snow exclaimed. She ran over to Regina. Henry walked over too, curiosity on his face. Regina was holding at least half a dozen bags.

“What are those?” asked Henry.

“Just some clothes for Snow,” said Regina matter-of-factly.

Henry give her an approving little smile then shrugged and walked back to David, uninterested in girls’ clothing.

"You had clothes made for me?" asked Snow with delight.

Regina looked down at the little girl in front of her. "It seems Ms. Swan has forgotten you're little girl, not a little boy," she sniped.

“I know what she is Regina." snapped Emma with irritation, covering her embarrassment in the insinuation her mother wasn’t clothed properly. “I also know it’s the 21st century. It's not like we had a ton of time to go around and get kid clothes."

Regina rolled her eyes and turned her back on her. "Here," she addressed Snow. “Go try this on first.” She handed her a bundle of clothing.

Obediently Snow turned and walked to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

As soon as she was out of sight Emma turned with fury on Regina. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” she asked. “Last night you just left her, not even saying goodbye. She was so upset she was in tears! Now you waltz in and give her presents and expect everything to be okay!? It’s not okay!”

Regina's eyes barely narrowed. She feigned boredom. “Are you quite finished Miss Swan?" she asked. “Or are you going to keep sputtering the entire time I'm here?”

Emma opened her mouth to retort, when Snow came skipping out of the bathroom. “If fits perfectly!” she sang out. “It's so lovely.”

Regina pursed her lips. “Turn,” she said tersely.

Snow turned, the pale blue dress flaring a little, then dropping when she stopped spinning. “Now try these shoes,” said Regina, opening one of the many boxes to display a pair of black Mary Jane’s.

Snow slid her foot into the shoe. “How do you fasten these?” she asked her step-mother curiously.

Regina motioned to her and Snow put her foot on the chair next to her. Swiftly Regina buckled the shoe. “You try the other shoe,” she told Snow.

Mimicking her stepmother's movements, Snow fastened the shoe quickly. She stood, looking expectantly at Regina.

“How do the shoes feel?” asked Regina, a frown creasing her forehead and hands on her hips. “Are they too big? Too small?”

“No, they feel quite good,” said Snow rocking back and forth on her feet with the same grin of pleasure.

“Let me see,” Regina gestured to her impatiently. When Snow stepped closer, Regina used her thumbs to press down on the toe of the shoe. She made a satisfied noise. “That will do,” she said. “Go try on the other clothes.”

Snow took the bags of clothes to the bathroom. As she tried on each outfit, she showed each of them to Regina. There were at least ten outfits: five dresses, five pant and shirt combinations, and four pairs of shoes.

Emma had been watching this, anger simmering. “What did you do, buy out the store?” she asked snidely after Snow had showed them a pale pink dress with embroidered roses and white Mary Jane’s. “Money buys everything that’s important, right?”

Regina’s nose flared slightly, but she refused to speak to Emma.

Snow appeared in the last outfit, a  purple pair of overalls and a pale lavender shirt.  She looked adorable and even younger than her actual age. “Are these clothes to play in?" she asked Regina, as she had asked about each pant/shirt combinations. Regina nodded. “I'd like to wear these now, please,” she said glancing at Regina, then Emma.

“Naturally,” said Regina.

“That's fine,” said Emma, attempting to smile through compressed lips.

“Will you do my hair now?”  asked Snow tentatively, looking at Regina from under her lashes. Her hands fiddled with the buckle on the overalls.

Regina sighed, sounding terribly put upon. “I suppose so.”

“Emma, do you have a brush we can use?” asked Snow eagerly.

Emma handed them a brush from inside one of her desk drawers and watched as Regina parted Snow's hair, and brusquely began plaiting it in an extravagant braid. In less than ten minutes, she was done.

“Did you purchase hair ribbons?” asked Snow innocently, examining the braid from different angles.

“And shall I also hire someone to pick up hair ribbons after you?” said Regina sarcastically.

The little girl blushed. “I don't mean to lose them,” she said bashfully.

“Yet the servants find hair ribbons all over the castle,” said Regina with another sigh. “No ribbons.”

Regina didn't sound particularly angry, nor did Snow sound terribly upset. The discussion was obviously a familiar one. And Emma realized now what had been bothering her the entire time she watched this little fashion display. They were speaking like mother and daughter. She might have not have had a lot of first-hand experience with those interactions, but she had  spent most of her childhood observing and cataloging mother/daughter exchanges. She knew that Regina was her mother's stepmother but until now, that fact had merely been academic. Now she saw it. It was there  like a sign, like a message…and her heart tightened as she began to see the depth of their tangled relationship.


	3. The Power's in the Naming

Ch.3: The Power’s in the Naming

It had been four days since the transformation and the situation remained as complicated as before. Maybe a little more. Emma couldn’t move around the apartment without tripping over a shoe (she cursed Regina again) or some plaything (wooden swords most of the time but both Snow and David also seemed to have a fascination with Legos). Also, weirdly enough, she was finding little piles of money in strange places. She couldn’t remember putting it there, but she thought she also might be suffering some short-term memory loss from the stress. These thoughts were what woke her in the early hours of the morning, but it was the faintest creak of the door and the realization that she was alone that got her out of bed. She parted the curtain separating the bed from the rest of the house just in time to see David quietly closing the door. “David, what are you doing?” she hissed.

He spun to face her, eye wide. He was dressed in the clothes Red had purchased for him, things she thought a child from the Enchanted Forest would be comfortable in. They were plain cotton, and lacked cartoon characters, but they suited him nicely. Henry had insisted they buy the boy superhero boxer shorts, clearly showing the hero-worship he had for his grandfather had not diminished since he had become a skinny little boy with corn-flower colored hair. “N-nothing,” he stammered.

Emma rolled her eyes and stomped towards him. “Where’s Snow?” she demanded.

His brow furrowed in concern. “She’s not here?”

Emma checked his expression and immediately scanned the apartment. “Snow!” she called urgently. She went to check the bathroom.

“I’ll search for her upstairs,” said David, immediately heading in that direction.

Within thirty seconds they were back where they started. “Where could she be?” Emma asked.

David shrugged, a gesture both he and Snow had picked up with startling suddenness after being around Henry for a day. “I don’t know.”

Emma cursed, then ran her fingers through her hair.  “I’m gonna get dressed, then we’ll look for her.”

He nodded, beginning to move to the stairs again. “Shall I wake Henry?” he asked.

Emma pulled the curtain and began yanking off her pajamas in favor of jeans and an old sweater. It was actually Big David’s – her father’s - sweater. She had borrowed it one day, when they had been patrolling together and somehow it had migrated to her drawer. “No,” she called out firmly. “Let him sleep.”

When she reopened the curtain, she found the boy nervously shifting from foot to foot, and when he looked at her, there was real fear in his eyes. “Do you think her mother has her? I don’t trust her. She’s isn’t kind, like a mother should be.”

Emma winced every time Snow or David referred to Regina as Snow’s mother. It just seemed so wrong. Fear grasped at her heart, but she shook her head at David and gave him what she hoped was a reassuring look, “No, I’m sure she’s fine.” She used one hand to guide his shoulder as they went out the door. When they got down to the street she opened the Bug’s door swiftly, and gestured for him to get in. With the faint, apprehensive look both he and Snow wore whenever they were coaxed into a car, he obeyed.

“I believe we should look over there,” he said, gesturing with one finger in the direction of the clock tower.

“Yeah?” Emma looked at his speculatively. Little David seemed to have the same unerring instincts in finding his future wife as big David.

_“Shhhh,” Snow had crept under the desk where Emma was working, wedging herself under the small shelf that was beneath it._

_“Why am I shushing?” whispered Emma, paperwork and coffee forgotten._

_‘We’re playing hide-n’-seek. David’s “it” this time and I want a really good hiding place. He keeps finding me!”_

_The little girl’s indignation was clear and Emma had to fight the urge to  laugh and a sudden bout of melancholy._

_In less than five minutes, David stood in front of Emma, grinning as he peered around her. “I found you Snow!”_

_Snow rolled her eyes and stood, dusting off her clothes as she did so. “Why do you always find me first? Henry is a terrible hider and I find much better places to hide then he does.”_

_David shrugged, his smile as bright and sunny as always. “I’m not sure. I just know where you are, and I want to be there quickly.”_

_Snow gave a sweetly endearing sigh and half-smiled as she took his hand. “Let’s find Henry.”_

Emma nodded. “Okay, we’ll try that way first,” she started the car and began driving. She scanned the streets from the windows anxiously, noting that David was doing the same on his side.

“So where were you this morning?” she asked, partially convinced that his early morning appearance at the door and Snow’s disappearance were linked.

David played with the buttons on his shirt, his eyes never leaving the outside scenery.

“Home?” he suggested with a hopeful tone.

“David…” Emma’s voice was firm. She was not going to mess around with semantics and she had not patience for obfuscation.  Either her parenting tone was getting better, or David was just a good kid (Emma strongly suspected the latter) because he caved immediately.

“I was helping Granny with the opening of the diner,” he admitted.

“What! Why were you doing that?” Emma restrained herself from looking at him, eyes still peeled for her erstwhile mother.

He didn’t speak, but she heard the sound of fidgeting. “David, I swear I will call Granny if I…”

“No, please!” David said immediately. Both he and Snow seemed to like Granny but they were very clearly intimidated by her. Whenever she was around, any form of rambunctiousness ceased and they were on their best behavior.

“I was helping Granny so I could earn some money,” said David in a rush.

This time, Emma did take a second to look at him, then returned her gaze to the road. “Why did you do that?”

The boy looked down at his lap. “You are by yourself, and you are trying to feed three children. I was worried that we would run out of money, and food. I didn’t want anyone to go hungry,” his speech was so plaintive that Emma was touched through her irritation.

“Look kid, I told you we were fine. We aren’t going to go hungry, I promise.”

David sat quietly, clearly unconvinced.

“Look, it’s nice that you wanted to help David. Really. But you should have told me. I have to look after you guys and it doesn’t help when you are all over the place. Why didn’t you tell me what you wanted to do?”

“I feared you wouldn’t give me permission,” he admitted, proving that children’s logic transcended different worlds.

Emma shook her head ruefully.

“I’m sorry,” said David sincerely. “I didn’t mean to cause you worry.”

She sighed, and reached out her hand to tousle his hair. “It’s alright. I don’t mind you helping Granny either, you just need to let me know, okay?”

“Okay,” said David, relieved that she was no longer angry.

They traveled for a little while in silence. “Wait-,” said Emma. “Is that where those little piles of money were coming from? I thought I was losing my mind.”

David nodded, then frowned. “The money is from me. But what does it mean ‘to lose your mind?’. That does not sound good.”

“It means that – hey!” Emma slammed on the brakes as she spotted a familiar, dark-haired figure. She opened the door and hopped out of the car before they had stopped completely. Even so, David beat her to Snow’s side. She grabbed the little girl’s upper arm. “Where have you been?” she demanded.

Snow’s face wore and expression of surprise and dismay. “How did you find me?” she asked.

Emma shrugged a little, then nodded towards David. Snow’s gaze narrowed. “Did you tell on me?” she demanded.

“No,” David’s voice was offended. “We found that you had disappeared this morning.”

“Oh.” Snow looked sideways at Emma. “Are you upset with me?”

“A little bit, yeah,” said Emma sarcastically.

Snow winced. “I just – I just wanted to look for her,” she mumbled.

“Look for,” Emma paused for a moment, “Look for Regina?” she asked.

Snow nodded miserably. Regina had been doing this weird on again off again thing with the children. Showing up at unexpected times, sometimes bringing things; Henry’s backpack, a pair of boots for Snow…but she was reserved and borderline hostile to everyone but Henry. Snow had been terribly confused and neither Henry nor Emma had been able to tell her that they “shared” Regina.

“Snow…” Emma began.

“I thought that she was just having some of her difficult days,” murmured Snow, “But now I’m not certain.”

“Wait – difficult days?” asked Emma, immediately anxious. What did that mean?

Snow ignored her, continuing quietly to herself, “I’ve looked but she isn’t where she’s supposed to be.”

“Snow,” Emma turned the little girl by her shoulders so they were face to face. She knelt down in front of her, keeping her hands in place. “What do you mean?”

Snow bit her lower lip, some animation creeping into her features. “I’ve been searching for her. The last few mornings…” her voice trailed off as Emma closed her eyes. Seriously? Both of them?

“You’ve been leaving the house early in the morning to look for Regina? Then sneaking back in? Is that why you’ve been so tired the last couple mornings?”

The little girl nodded slowly, her eyes dropping when she saw the anger in Emma’s eyes.

“That’s-!” Emma’s voice was louder than she intended and she dropped it when she saw twin looks of worry on her parents’ faces. “That’s really not good Snow,” she said making her voice steady. “It’s dangerous for you to be by yourself.”

“I can take care of myself,” said Snow, looking slightly indignant though this was erased by a sudden shiver from the chilled air. Pulling in on herself - she looked smaller.

Emma stood up and stretched her neck as she sighed. “Look, we need to talk but let’s get some food in us. I’ll call Henry and tell him to meet us at Granny’s. We need to figure some things out.”

Both children looked heartened by this thought. Granny’s certainly beat her attempts of cooking.

When they reached Granny’s, David let Snow into the booth, then scooted beside her. Red was instantly at their table, a tired smile on her face. “You all are up early today! Well, except for David, he's always up early.” She turned to Emma with a smile, “It’s been great. He helps Granny open and I get to sleep in.”

Emma rolled her eyes a bit. “Yeah, now that I know where he is, it’s fine.”

Red tapped a manicured nail on her notepad and raised an eyebrow in David’s direction. He was studiously studying the menu with an intent expression. “David…” Red warned. Reluctantly he cast his gaze towards her. “You didn’t tell Emma you were helping us?”

“I did,” he said not looking at Emma.

“After I caught him,” Emma informed Red with a weary shake of the head, “He scared the crap out of me.”

Red shook her head reproachfully. “You better not let Granny hear about that, young man.”

David was saved when Henry came bouncing into the café. “Where did you guys all go? Why’d you leave me?”

This time David groaned and let his head fall to the table, clearly weary of explaining himself.

Red laughed and went to get them their usual order, leaving the little family to talk.

Henry scooted into the booth next to Emma as Snow gave David a gentle pat on the head. “Take heart, Davey.”

The little boy lifted his head curiously. “Davey?”

“Yes,” Snow said uncertainly. “I didn’t intend to offend- ”

David shook his head, a little smile on his face. “My sister called me that. Only she.”

Henry and Emma exchanged a look, then looked at the two children, stunned. Emma was bewildered. Why had her parents never told her this?

“What age is your sister?” asked Snow curiously.

The smile slipped from David’s face. “She’s dead now. She became sick with a fever and died when she was four.” He took a deep breath an continued, as if he needed to push the rest of the words out. “My papa died of another fever the next season. Mama said that it was because my sister was so small. She needed someone to take care of her. Now she has Papa.”

“Oh,” Snow’s voice was sad and squeezed his hand as he clung to it gratefully.

Emma tried to say something, but stopped. Henry fidgeted uncomfortably as an impenetrable silence draped the table.

David looked up, glancing around the solemn faces around him. Obviously feeling badly for darkening the mood, he offered them a small smile. “You all would have liked her. Our Amma was so lovely and so clever.”

Emma roughly cleared her throat. “Your sister’s name was Amma?”

David looked at her with that same, sweet smile. “Not exactly. Her name was Anna but she called herself Amma. It was one of her first words, actually,” a genuine laugh erupted from his chest. “In fact, my name was too.”

Henry was openly curious, his enthusiasm for learning new things about his family, unquenched. “It was?”

David nodded, his hand still entwined with Snow’s. She was watching him with a pensive expression, but the fondness in her eyes was unmistakable. “Indeed. Papa, Mama and I had broken our fast, but Amma had just wakened. Mama had Amma on her lap, and was feeding her porridge.  Papa was stoking the fire and I was going out the door to begin my chores. As I opened the door to leave, she said “Amma go wif Dabey.”

“Really?” asked Henry.

David nodded vigorously. “On my honor,” he said seriously. “She hadn’t talked before then, just a baby’s prattle. When our Amma finally spoke, she said four words, not a mere one,” he was obviously bursting with pride as he told them.

“What did your parents say?” asked Emma.

“They laughed. Mama said she clearly loved me best. Papa just picked her up and gave her to me. He said to take her with me, even if it was but a short time. I looked at her and said ‘Amma go with Davey?’ She nodded and said ‘Amma go! Amma go!’. So I took her on my back and we gazed on the sheep and the flowers in the field for awhile. She laughed the whole time, so happy we heard her.” David’s mouth was soft in fond remembrance and he turned to Snow, who had been listening quietly. “After that, we called her Amma and she called me Davey.”

“That’s cool,” said Henry. “Can I call you Davey too?”

David nodded, while Emma tried the name in her head. It would be easier, thinking of this little boy as Davey. Different. Not quite her father. She wished she had a similar trick for her mother.

“It was fortunate that she gave herself a new name, her being just a baby,” David continued. “We could call her what she wished and still not bring the Imp to our door.”

“What imp?” Emma couldn’t help but be curious about the stories that belonged to her birthplace.

“The evil imp that takes children,” David looked between them all, finally turning to Snow.

She shook her head, “I’ve not heard of him,” she said seriously.

“Everyone in our village knows of the Imp”, said David. “When a baby’s born you don’t tell anyone but family the baby’s true name. You but whisper it once. After that, you give the baby a false name until it grows into it’s first year. Then the baby is safe. You have a celebration. We always called her baby, but then we called her Amma. When Amma turned one, the name was hers.

“My mother, my other mother Eva, she worried not of an Imp, but of a soul-sucker who would steal a baby’s breath. They do not sound the same,” said Snow thoughtfully.

It was the combination of her mother’s words and her father’s story, that made Emma sit up in sudden realization as Red appeared with the breakfast. Urgently, she moved Henry out of the way as she went to get a breath of fresh air, mumbling to the children that she just needed a moment. She was squinting into the sun, the tears in the corners of her eyes either product of the bright sun, or the sudden emotion.

“Emma,” Red’s voice was tentative. “Are you okay?”

“I think…,” Emma took a deep breath. “I think I know where my name might have come from.”


	4. Blankets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As I’ve been writing this chapter I realized a lot of this story has been very introspective, instead of action filled. I do have some of those scenes coming up, but right now Emma is in that stage where she’s getting all this new information about her parents and is trying to process it. It’s kind of like when you meet a new friend or romantic interest and every bit of information you gain is new and exciting. It’s this huge discovery period. Emma has that with her parents and since she is dealing with the child versions, she’s not guarding herself as readily. So there’s a lot going on internally.  
> Thanks again for the reviews and kudos. Much appreciated.

Ch.4 Blankets 

“I found something at Regina’s house,” whispered Henry as he hung over the back of the couch peering over his mom’s shoulder.     

Emma made a mark in her notes. “What?” she asked absent-mindedly. She was stretched out as comfortably as possible, the cup of coffee and pile of papers a testament to her hard work.

Henry poked her with his index finger. “I was at mom’s house getting some books.”

“Henry, you’re supposed to ask me about going there,” said Emma, irritated, shoving her papers to the side.

“She wasn’t there. Anyway, I wanted to get my books,” Henry said coolly.

Emma looked around the tiny apartment, which was full of books. Snow, David, and Henry were all big readers, but then it was more likely that the kid wanted more of his own stuff. She couldn’t blame him.

“Okay. Whatever. We’ll talk about that later. What did you find?” Henry pulled a bundle of cloth from behind his back. Emma gazed at the familiar object, about to ask why Henry had her baby blanket, when she looked closer. Instead of a purple ribbon lining the outside of the blanket, there was a red one. She pulled the blanket from Henry’s hands to study it closer. Her fingers touched the satiny material that boldly proclaimed “Snow White” was the owner of this particular blanket. She looked at Henry in amazement.

He grinned at her. “Yup. It’s just like yours. They’re almost identical!”

The enthusiasm in his voice attracted the attention of Snow and David, who were playing nearby on the carpet. “What do you have, Emma?” asked Snow curiously.

Emma hesitated, then held the blanket out to the little girl. “Looks like we found something of yours,” she said, trying to sound off-handed, instead of pleased that her mother had made her a blanket just like her own.

Snow stood up so quickly that she knocked the pieces off the checkerboard. “My blanket!” she said eagerly, moving quickly towards Emma. The little girl stopped herself from grabbing it outright. She held out her hands instead. “Please?” she begged politely.

The blanket was deposited into her arms without anymore words. Snow clutched the blanket to her chest, and rubbed a corner of it, the one emblazoned with her name, across her cheek.  “You found my blanket,” the little girl said happily.

“Well, it was actually Henry,” said Emma, pulling her son forward.

Snow gave him an impulsive hug. Henry blushed, but looked pleased. “It isn’t a big deal. I mean, I found it. It’s yours.”

Snow looked serious. “It is important to me. It’s my lovey blanket. My mother made it for me before I was even born, except for the part with my name. That came after.”

Emma smiled indulgently. “It sounds important,” she said.

David came wandering over when it became evident that neither of his playmates were returning. “What is this?”

Snow seemed shy all of a sudden, slightly unsure of herself. “It’s my blanket, Henry found it.”

David stroked it with a tentative finger. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Soft and warm.”

The little girl straightened. “Yes, I mean, it’s for when I was a baby. I don’t use it now of course,” the worn corner she was holding familiarly belied her words.

David studied her seriously, kindness lightening his visage. “It would be all right if you did. I have a lovely warm quilt my mother made me. The weight atop me at night made me feel safe.”

Snow peered at him thoughtfully, sensitive to possible teasing. She spoke hesitantly. “I hold it…perhaps once and awhile.” She darted a look at Emma and Henry, her face crimsoning slightly.

Emma cleared her throat, deciding to take the attention off her mother. “I think we should make some cookies, does that sound good?” The instant delight on the three faces was worth the sugar high the kids would be on after they had consumed a dozen or so cookies. Emma, David, and Henry began to get the ingredients out but Emma watched Snow long enough to see her run the blanket across her cheek again, and bury her nose briefly into the center of it. She then carefully folded the blanket into a precise square, and placed it under a pillow on the couch.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Making cookies with the children was pretty much an adventure from start to finish. First they had to agree on the type of cookie, then they had to agree on who would do which job. When they finally figured all that out, they realized they didn’t have all the ingredients they needed and all four of them groaned in unison.

“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” said David. “It’s merely a treat, after all. It’s not something we need.”

“No!” said Henry immediately. “I want them, please mom?”

“Please?” chimed Snow.

“Okay. Let’s go to the grocery store. You guys, go put on your jackets and shoes. I’m going to see if we need anything else.”

The children vanished in a mad scurry, as Emma made quick checks to the refrigerator and the cupboards. She didn’t have a firm menu for the week so she just needed to make sure they had the basics. For the hundredth time she wished her parents were back to normal. Cooking. Grocery shopping. They almost always took care of it. It’s not that Emma couldn’t of course, but Snow was the cook in the family. And David wasn’t bad at it either, tending towards what he called “simple, peasant fare.” They were also extremely observant which meant they got both Emma and Henry’s favorite food, snacks, and drinks without ever being asked. It had startled Emma from the beginning, when she was merely roommates with Mary-Margaret. Within days of them living together, Mary-Margaret had bought her favorite cereal, and her favorite coffee at the market one day. When Emma had, uncomfortably, suggested that it was unecessary, Mary-Margaret had turned around with a strange look on her face. “It’s just cereal and coffee, Emma.”

Emma had been unable to really reply to this. The last person who had bought, or in his case stolen something, just for her, had been Neal. Before that, she hadn’t lived with anyone who had noticed her enough to catalogue her preferences. It gave her a warm feeling that she immediately crushed by saying something smart-alecky to Mary-Margaret. Predictably, the other woman had ignored her and continued to do the same thing, week after week, adding new items each time. Even David, after they had returned from the Enchanted Forest had done the same. When Emma had called him out on keeping her supplied with her favorite ice cream, he had given her a little smile and given her a shy kiss on her on her head. She had missed out on a lot of things during her childhood, but this simple acknowledgement of her likes and dislikes was a form of tangible love and caring. It was more than just words. They were showing her how much she was loved.

Being as this was the first time Snow and David had been in the grocery store, both of them were completely overcome by all the colors and the overwhelming amount of choices. Henry immediately grabbed the list from Emma’s hand, looked at it, and set off in the direction of his favorite supplies. Snow pressed a little closer to Emma and David looked like he would like to do the same, if it hadn’t been for his little-boy pride.

“There’s so much food!” marveled David. “More food then I’ve ever seen in my life!”

“It’s even more food then I’ve seen at our most formal banquets,” agreed Snow.

“Are there places like this everywhere?” asked David of Emma. “Are the prices fair?”

“Yes and I guess so,” said Emma.

David was silent as he watched Emma load the cart. Then he spoke, a frown puckering his forehead and he spoke unconsciously. “Mother and I didn’t always have enough food. I knew it was bad when I’d wake up and Mother would say ‘Eat up David, I ate while you were sleeping,’ and I knew she was fibbing. So I’d say. ‘You haven’t eaten Mama. I won’t eat until you do.’”

Snow seemed shocked. “You called your mother a liar!”

David paused, and squirmed uncomfortably as Henry dumped a load of food in the cart, glanced at the list, and took off again. “Not really,” he finally said, sounding as if he were trying to convince himself, “I mean, I just wanted her to eat,” he seemed to realize he had revealed too much because his ears burned as he blushed.

“What did she do?” asked Snow interestedly.

“She frowned and said to me, ‘Who is the mother David?’ And I would have to say, ‘You are Mama.’ And then she’d say that it was the mother’s job to take care of the child and it is the child’s duty to obey. So I had to eat, and even if I tried to leave leftovers, she’s make me eat that too. Then she’d  make me haul water or chop wood so as to remember to be more obedient next time,” David scowled a little as he said this.

Emma tried not to chuckle. From the little she’d heard about Ruth, this seemed par for the course.

David looked at her, and the natural curve of his lip turned upward. “What else was there to do?” he asked with a comical shrug.

Emma patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Not much you can do with stubborn parents,” she said agreeably but with the painful realization that her father and grandmother had gone hungry on many occasions. It was an unsettling thought.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxo

 

After shopping, Emma was ready to collapse but the kids dragged her to the kitchen. Several dozen eggs, and about a pound each of flour and sugar later, the cookies were baking. The sweet smell permeated the small dwelling. Emma knew she was a pushover but after watching the kids eat their weight in cookies she knew she had to harden herself. That decision was easier after she was dealing with three kids with massive belly aches. Groaning, they retired to watch TV. David and Snow weren’t fond of the television, but had gotten somewhat used to it. They no longer suffered from the headaches they complained about before. Emma finished cleaning the kitchen, stealing glances over at her little family. She noticed with some fondness, that Snow had dug her blanket out and was clutching it unconsciously to her cheek, worrying her thumb absently with her teeth. Emma remembered clasping her own blanket to her chest, in the cover of darkness. It only took being made fun of a few times (and having it taken from her) before she became obsessively secretive about her blanket. She was startled out of her reverie by a brisk knock at the door. She opened it to find Regina.

“Miss Swan,” Regina greeted coolly.

“Regina,” said Emma in the same tone, hands pressed lightly to her hips. They gazed at one another, unmoving.

Finally Regina cleared her throat, “I know you lack proper rearing and are genetically inclined to rudeness,  but aren’t you going to let me in?”

“I can’t give you permission, then you could come in anytime you wanted,” Emma snarked.

Regina’s looked confused. Apparently the woman did not watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Emma sighed as she opened the door and waved her arm out in a sweeping motion. “Come in.”

Wearing a black pencil skirt and blouse, she looked every inch the formidable queen. She stopped to stare disapprovingly at the messy kitchen and the sugary treats piled on the table. “What are you feeding my son?” she demanded.

Emma shrugged. She had no reason to answer to Regina.

Regina rolled her eyes expressively and glanced over at the children. Her eyes narrowed when they found Snow. “Where did she get that?” she murmured. Before Emma could answer, Regina walked a few steps towards the couch. “Snow,” she commanded.

Snow looked up, a bright smile on her face, but her eyes immediately fell guiltily to her blanket. She tried to stuff it under a pillow but Regina held out her hand and snapped her fingers twice. Reluctantly, Snow trudged over to Regina, her blanket lying limply in her hand.

“Where did you get this?” demanded Regina, reaching for the blanket.

Snow started to stammer out an answer when Emma got between them, knocking Regina’s hand sharply away from her mother’s blanket. “What does it matter? It’s her blanket.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “It matters because she’s not to have it.”

“It’s _her_ blanket,” Emma retorted grimly, using her body to block Regina further.

“When she has her blanket, she sucks her thumb,” Regina shot back.

Snow gasped and Emma watched as her fair skin turned red. “I don’t suck my thumb,” she said, not looking at either of them. “Only babies suck their thumbs.”

Emma was furious that Regina had embarrassed her mother. “Who cares what she does?”

“Have you ever had to retrain a child from an unhealthy habit, Miss Swan? Let me answer for you. No, you have not, because you’ve been a mother for all of five minutes.”

Emma opened her mouth to deliver a hot retort, that comment stinging just as thoroughly as the first time it was delivered.

Regina raised an impervious hand. “I have, on several occasions,” she glared meaningfully. “It’s an unpleasant but necessary task. I won’t have you undoing that.”

“Undoing what!” Emma whispered hotly back. “We don’t even…” she made herself breath more calmly when she glimpsed Snow’s anxious face. She shoved Regina back out the door, shutting it behind them.

Regina pushed Emma sharply away from her. “How do you think Snow will be able to rule if the servants are snickering to one another that their future monarch still sucks her thumb like a two-year-old? It makes her look weak.”

Emma looked at the other woman as if she were crazy. “She doesn’t rule, remember? You killed her dad and took over.”

Again that contemplative look. Then Regina pursed her lips and waved her hand. “That isn’t the point,” she began.

“That’s exactly the point Regina. So my mom sucks her thumb. So what? So what!? She probably wasn’t doing it until recently, right?” Emma didn’t give Regina a chance to respond. “I wonder what happened recently to make her regress?” she said sarcastically. She began speaking faster, her anger driving her on. “That’s right, her mother was murdered by yours and died right in front of her. Oh, and she had a chance to save her but couldn’t. In this world, we call that trauma,” she spat the last words out.

Regina opened her mouth, a frown deepening the lines on her forehead. She actually seemed to be considering Emma’s words.

Emma was derailed from her anger for a moment. Had Regina really never considered the incredible ordeal Snow would have undergone in the last year?

Regina’s voice had lost some of her haughtiness. “Nevertheless, it is not to continue. The consequences…”

Emma breathed hard, once, then again. “I really don’t care Regina.” She watched as the slanted light in the hallway bathed Regina’s face in shadows. The other woman seemed to sigh, and drew inward. “Why did you come here?” Emma finally asked after a minute of silence.

“I wanted to ask Henry if he would join me for breakfast tomorrow,” Regina replied in stiff tones.

Emma’s hands were clenched in sharp fists as she jerked the door open, and called for her son. “Regina wants to ask you something,” she told him, and went back into the apartment. Snow was where she had left her, her blanket twisted in her hands. David was giving her concerned glances from his position on the couch but her body language was screaming “back off”. Emma ignored these signs and approached the little girl slowly. “Let’s go to the fire escape,” she said softly.

Snow nodded mechanically, and followed her to the fire escape. Emma leaned against the outside wall and stared at the stars. Snow breathed nearly silently beside her. When she spoke her voice was full of wounded hurt but covered by a stiff regality. “I don’t suck my thumb.”

Emma consciously loosened her shoulders, and moved miniscually closer to her mother. “I did, when I was little. So did a lot of the kids I lived with. Some of them did other things too.” Wetting the bed, crying at all hours, tantruming, all of the things bereft or hurting children do. She looked at her mother, who had never been a large woman but as a child was petite with fine, chiseled features. She had never, not once thought of her mother as a victim, a wounded child. She had heard the stories, could imagine her running from Regina, clocking poor Graham across the back with a stick, but she had always, always imagined her mother doing it heroically. Because that’s what her parents were. Not like here where even crossing guards were vaunted because of “heroic acts they do every day”. They were real, actual heroes who fought evil and monsters and lived in a castle. But looking at her mother now, she couldn’t see the hero. She saw a sorrowful little girl, who had lost her mother, and was trying desperately to win the love of her step-mother. She saw a child who in six years, would be violently expelled from her home after her father was murdered, and would wander the first five days of her expulsion in constant fear and hunger, trying desperately to survive. Emma’s heart ached. Her own childhood had been sad and frightening but the idea of her mother going through her own trials filled her with such sorrow that she wanted to weep. She grabbed the little girl and drew her into a fierce hug. Snow struggled for only a moment, before she let her head fall on Emma’s shoulder, and relaxed into the hug. “It’s okay Snow,” she said softly. “You are such a great kid. You’re going to do amazing things. I promise. People are going to think that you are a hero.”

The little girl looked at her, her green eyes soft and brimming with tears. “Really?”

Emma let her forehead drop so it was touching her mother’s. “Uh-huh. And you’re going to have a kid. A daughter. And she’s going to think you’re the most fantastic woman she has ever known.”

Snow giggled uncertainly but her voice brightened. “Truly?” she asked.

“Yes,” said Emma softly, tucking the little girl’s hair behind her ear.

When she led Snow back into the apartment, David looked at them with his keen gaze, and took Snow’s hand when she tried to hide the blanket behind her back. Deliberately, he tucked it into her arms and led her back to the couch. Emma smiled as she watched Snow lean into his arms as he held her tightly.

When Henry re-entered the house, he looked thoughtful. “What did you and mom talk about?” he asked.

“Nothing much. Snow’s blanket,” she said, fiddling with the rest of the dishes.

“Huh.”

“Why?”

“Mom just seemed really quiet. And she said…” he hesitated, looking at her with his expressive brown eyes, “she said maybe Snow should join us tomorrow.”

Emma’s grip on the pan, crusted with food, increased and she looked at her parents, necks bent in conspiratorial conversation. “I don’t know Henry. I’ll have to think about it.”

Henry nodded, his own gaze following hers. “They’re funny, aren’t they?”

“In what way?” Emma asked, her hair falling over her shoulders.

“I mean, they’re so much like Gramma and Grampa, but they’re different too,” he said.

“Yeah,” said Emma as she watched David gently stroke Snow’s hair.

 

xoxoxoxoxo

 

That night, after she tucked the children in bed, she made a quiet call to Red, who was fast becoming one of her best friends. “No, she didn’t get a chance to knit your blanket,” Red said. “She was really upset about that. She wanted to, so badly. Granny and I caught her trying to…” she laughed and backtracked a bit. “You have to understand. She was really pregnant by this time and apparently she had been trying to learn to knit on her own for awhile. When we caught her she was throwing the wool to the ground and getting ready to stomp on it.”

Emma laughed, finding it easier to see this version of her mother after being with the child version for several weeks. She stroked the blanket in her lap. The satiny, purple piping, silky under her fingertips.

“Granny stopped her, and asked if she could help. Your mom was – is, so proud though. She didn’t want any help at first. I guess,” Red’s voice became thoughtful. “I guess her mom was going to teach her to knit but hadn’t. Said something about there being no rush and they had plenty of time before Snow would need to knit baby blankets.”

Emma felt another wave of sadness. How could she blame her grandmother for thinking she had the luxury of time?

“Granny coaxed her into it,” Red continued. “So Granny knitted the blanket but your mom stitched your name on it.”

“Oh,” said Emma quietly. “Thanks for telling me Ruby.”

“Yeah.” Both of them were silent, lost in their own thoughts. “Is everything okay Emma?” asked Red with tender concern.

Emma fidgeted slightly, her sigh nearly a whisper. “I miss my parents,” she said, meaning that and so many other things.

Red seemed to understand this. “I know.” She paused, trying to think of something to make Emma laugh.

“Just think of all the blackmail material you’ll have over them though.”

As she had hoped, Emma laughed a little. “Yeah,” her voice was fond. “They’re good kids though.”

“They’re good people,” said Red firmly, her devotion to her friends plain.

“Yeah,” said Emma again. “Thanks Ruby. Goodnight.”

“Night Emma.”

The erstwhile sheriff sighed and went to her bed to gaze at the little girl, one arm cuddling the blanket to her chest. Her thumb was resting peacefully in her mouth. Emma debated for a moment, then softly drew the thumb out of her mouth. She took the hand, dried the thumb on her shirt, and kissed it gently before winding it around the blanket. “You don’t have to be scared, Snow,” she whispered. “I’ll protect you. I’ll protect you all. I promise.”


	5. Birds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 1: This chapter was supposed to be the sixth one, but it makes better sense here. It’s Snow and Emma-centric, like the last one, but fear not, a David-centered chapter is in the offing.
> 
> A/N 2: As I was writing this chapter, I remembered how much I hate Disney for it’s anthropomorphic tendencies. I don’t want to feel badly for ants or candlesticks! And yet, I write this. Sigh.

It was a quiet morning. Henry was having breakfast with Regina, and Emma was basking in the luxury of being able to drink several cups of coffee and read the newspaper without interruptions.

“Have care, Snow,” David’s voice floated anxiously through the window. “You are very high!”

Emma dropped her coffee cup and darted down the stairs to the yard in front of the apartment building. David was craning his neck to look at Snow. Emma followed his gaze and gasped. “Snow, get down here!” she yelled. The little girl was in the top of the tree, where the branches were thinnest.

“I’m nearly in reach,” Snow called back.

“I don’t care,” Emma yelled. “Get down here now!”

Ignoring her, the child continued shimmying up the skinny trunk using her bare feet. Emma looked down to see her shoes and socks in a small pile resting by the base of the tree. She headed for the tree determinedly, hoping her tree climbing skills hadn’t diminished after twenty years.

“Snow!” the voice behind her startled Emma, but no one less so than the little girl. With a startled shriek, she lost her precarious grip and began tumbling to the ground. Regina pushed in front of Emma and waved her hands sharply. Instantly the little girl’s plummet ceased and she landed neatly on the ground. Snow had taken a breath to speak and in that moment, Regina strode over to her. “What were you thinking!” she yelled, so unlike the usual modulated, or icy tones that Emma blinked in surprise. “What were doing up there?”

Snow looked upset and raised her arm to point to the top of the tree, “The birds said-,”

Regina took the child’s hand and slapped it sharply. Snow gasped in dismay.

“Regina!” Emma yelled, starting towards them.

“Mom!” Henry yelled at the same time.

Unnoticed and silent, David picked up a rock and tested it in his hands, his eyes watchful.

“I don’t care what the birds told you!” snapped Regina, enraged. “You could have been killed!”

Snow cradled her hand as tears ran down her face. Emma interjected herself between her mother and Regina. “Regina don’t you ever-,”

“The babies told me they were starving,” wailed Snow. “Their mother hasn’t been back for days!” She looked at Regina, begging for understanding. “I think their mother’s dead. She’s never coming back and they’re all alone!”

Emma turned Snow by her shoulders and knelt down to look at her. “The birds told you they’re starving?”

Tears continued to track her mother’s face but she nodded. “Yes. I mean, that’s what they were attempting to say. They’re still young. They talk like babies.”

Emma was forcibly transported to a distant memory, one that she had neither the need, nor desire to recall before. She was living with…Mrs. Grady, two foster homes after the Swans had decided they no longer wanted to adopt her. She was an older woman, in her seventies who had been a foster parent for many years. She wasn’t particularly outgoing or fun, but she was calm and her house was an oasis of tranquility. Emma had been delighted to find that the woman owned several exotic birds. She loved to sit and watch them. She was even more pleased when she was finally able to understand their speech. They spoke with strange accents, unlike those who were in the wild. On the third day of her stay, she released the birds into the outdoors.

When Mrs. Grady found her later, and saw the empty cages, her face flushed a deep scarlet. “What did you do?” she demanded.

Emma had only been five at the time, and the woman’s sudden anger frightened her terribly. “I let them go,” she said in a tiny voice.

“What! Why would you do that? They were my friends, my companions!” The words sounded choked. Beneath the anger there was immeasurable hurt.

Emma’s eyes pricked with tears. “They said they like you very much but they wanted to be free. They begged me to open the doors.”

“They said!” Mrs. Grady’s voice was rising. “That is a flat out lie. It’s very wicked to lie, Emma!”

Now the tears rolled down Emma’s face, “I’m not lying! It’s what they told me! I just wanted to help them.”

“Nobody can talk to birds Emma. It’s impossible. Crazy. Go to your room. I’m calling Mrs. Green. She didn’t tell me she was giving me _your_ kind.”

Emma had drawn big breaths to keep from sobbing outright as she ran to her room. She wasn’t a liar. She wasn’t! She heard those birds speak to her as clearly as Mrs. Grady had spoken to her. But adults were supposed to know everything. Her other foster parents had always commented on “Emma’s imagination”, but they hadn’t called her crazy. What if Mrs. Grady was right? What if something was wrong with her? She huddled in her bed, quivering with fear, clasping her baby blanket to her. That sense of “otherness” that plagued her at times, crept over her now. She didn’t belong. Even more so then the other foster kids, there was something wrong with her. Something alien and other-worldly. She sobbed into her baby blanket, hating that she was different and wishing to be anyone else. The next day she was moved to another foster home. After several months, the chirps and twitters of birds meant nothing more than pretty noises and songs.

Emma came back to the present as she looked at her mother. How had she forgotten that? How had she forgotten that she had actually understood birds at one time? Emma felt that tight string of connection tense and pull. The little girl was now trembling, so desperate in her distress. Emma looked at Regina, then Snow, at what was passing between them. She started to the tree but David was already beginning his ascent, unable to bear his sweet companion’s agony.

Regina tore her eyes from Snow’s long enough to glare at them. “Get down,” she demanded. “Have none of you any sense?”

David slid down, fear and defiance conflicting on his face. They had little time to wait, as Regina waved her hand again and the small nest was dislodged from it’s previous environment, floating neatly into her hands. Regina looked at the nest, then at Snow with an indecipherable look. Her hands tightened furiously around the nest where the peeping inhabitants could be heard.

Emma’s throat felt choked, sure that the baby birds were going to be crushed as an object lesson. She was able to breath again when the nest and it’s contents were deposited into Snow’s hands.

“You’ll need to take care of them,” Regina said, her voice thick with warning.

“I will,” Snow promised quickly, smiling through the tear tracks on her face. “I promise.” She turned to Emma, “We can take care of them, can’t we Emma?” she implored.

Emma nodded mechanically, as Regina dusted her hands fastidiously and moved in her direction, Snow trailing after. The sheriff braced herself and Regina did not disappoint. “Is this too much for you, Miss Swan?” the former Queen demanded in scathing tones.

“What?” Emma shot back.

Regina indicated the children. “Are you able to look after them, or am I going to find this child with her head cracked open?” her hand rested briefly, oh so briefly, on Snow’s curly head.

“I can handle it,” Emma gritted out trying to think of a big enough threat to use about touching her parents.

“See that you do,” and Regina swept away.

Emma looked down at the little girl, exasperation and concern etched clearly on her features. Snow noticed it and immediately looked down at her bare toes, wiggling in the grass. “Sorry,” she whispered.

Emma sighed. “Lemme see.”

Snow started to give her the nest, but Emma took the hand that had been slapped. The redness had already faded.

The little girl seemed to sense her concern, “I’m fine,” she assured her. “Truly.”

Emma dropped her hand as David sidled up to peer into the nest, Henry on his heels. “They’re quite small,” he said in marveling tones. “Look at the down they have on their bodies!’

The babies were covered in tiny, black pinfeathers. “They’ll be a great deal of work,” sighed Snow. “They are babies after all.”

Emma looked at the three children and the nestful of baby birds. “We can take care of them for a bit, but then we’ll need to take them over to the animal shelter,” she said firmly.

“Oh Emma, no,” cried Snow, shielding the nest with her small body. “They want to stay with me! They’re so scared, can’t you tell?”

Both Henry and David leaned in eagerly, heads cocked. “Merely cheeping,” said David in disappointment.

“Yeah,” Henry agreed. “You’re the only one that can understand them Snow.”

Snow’s face fell a little, and she looked at Emma hopefully, touching her arm as she did so. “Emma?”

Emma felt that rush of anger and the shame from her childhood bubbled up again. “No Snow!” she said, louder then she intended, “I don’t –“

Snow shrunk back and David had taken a step in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers, laden with disappointment. “I-,” she faltered into the sudden silence.

“Big noise, big noise, big noise,” she heard plainly. “Why? Scary…scary.”

Emma breathed in, nearly silently as she heard one mournful “Mommy.”

She looked at Snow, eyes wide with wonder, “I hear them…”


	6. The Heat of Battle

Emma had reluctantly agreed to enroll David and Snow in the elementary school as their third week of magical re-childhood continued. She needed to work, and trying to find a solution took up a lot of her time as well.

Neither child was terribly enthusiastic about the idea, but bore the news stoically. Emma didn’t resist the urge to snap photographs of them and Henry in their gray Storybrooke school uniforms. When her parents were back to normal, this would be awesome blackmail material. Or maybe not so much blackmail, since they were already seen half of Storybrooke, but a great way to embarrass them in case they ever had the urge to do the same to her.

The children were suspiciously quiet after the first day. The second day. Even the third day. When Emma asked how school went, their replies were the same. Since they were in a grade lower than Henry’s, she couldn’t quiz him for information. Their teacher seemed unconcerned. Emma leaned back in her desk chair, quietly looking at the ceiling as she thought. She was relieved to have more time to get her job done, but the only results had been frustrating.  When they went back to the place where David and Snow had been – deaged, they weren’t able to find much. Sneezy claimed that there was some green dust but it had disappeared after he sneezed.  They had reports that someone else had been deaged, but nobody was coming forward and no one had an exact name to give. Emma tried to investigate Rumplestiltskin further but he had ejected her, quite forcefully from his shop. She dropped by at varying times to watch him for an hour or two, but he didn’t seem to be doing anything particularly shifty, at least no more than usual. She sighed and hefted herself out of the chair. She wanted to do a quick drive-by of his shop again, before she met the kids at home. They would be getting home from school soon and she didn’t like to leave them alone for too long.

When she was reaching for her car door, she heard a faint shout. Emma stopped, a line appearing on her forehead as her head swiveled in that direction. The one voice was joined by several others. She let her hand drop from the door and headed for the noise, automatically reaching for her gun. When she got closer to the yelling, she could tell it was children. She began to jog. As the sheriff turned the corner, a surprising sight met her eyes.

Henry’s arms were locked with another boy, trying to use the boy’s weight to counterbalance and throw him to the ground. David was eyeing two boys warily, eyes flickering as he tried to anticipate who was going to move first. When one of the older, and much bigger, boys leaned towards him, he took his arm to pull him forward and to the ground while he used his legs to try and stomp on his ribcage. The third boy, one sporting a short buzz cut, managed to hit David’s face, but he instantly turned and smashed the other boy’s nose with his fist.

Before Emma could warn him, a third boy started towards David armed with a large stick. Suddenly, he yelped with surprise and dropped the stick. The boy looked around, confusion marking his face when Emma saw something fly towards him and hit his ear.

“Take care,” warned a familiar voice, “or the next one will be in your eye!”

Emma looked around for her mother, finally spotting her when another missile flew from the branches of the tree near the sidewalk, hitting the boy Henry was fighting with.

Emma finally gained her breath. “Hey!” she yelled.

The crew-cut boy looked up, a thin trail of blood coming from his mouth. “The sheriff!” he yelled, causing the other three boys to look up, note her presence, and take off. One declined to watch his step and was promptly tripped by David, who gave him a parting punch as well.

“David!” said Emma in exasperation as she trotted towards the boys.

He looked at her, roughly drawing the wrist of his shirt across his nose to wipe the blood. “Yes?” he asked casually.

Emma eyed them worriedly as she came up. “Are you guys okay?”

“Sure,” said Henry, seeming a bit winded but also proud of himself.

“Of course,” said David, looking surprised that she asked. “We were winning.”

“You were-,” Emma looked around, reminded of the absence of the third in this troublemaking trio, “Snow,” she called in the direction of the tree, “Get down here.”

The little girl’s feet appeared, as she dangled from a tree branch for a moment, then dropped to the ground in a crouch. When she straightened, Emma noticed she had a slingshot clenched tightly in her jaw. She brushed her dress off and straightened her hair as she walked towards Emma and the boys, removing the slingshot when she got close. “Emma! I didn’t see you before,” her tone was complacent.

“What-What were you guys doing?” Emma asked with concern.

Henry looked slightly guilty but David and Snow had identical looks of calm. David spoke carefully, “It was merely a fight between children. Nothing serious.”

“There was like, four big kids against you guys. That’s pretty serious.”

David’s brow furrowed as he exchanged a glance with Henry. “The boys were bothering Henry. Calling him the witch’s son, trying to hurt him. We made them stop.”

Emma looked at Henry, both hurt and concerned, “Why didn’t you tell me, Henry? I would have done something.”

Henry shrugged, looking slightly irritated, “It was no big deal, okay? I can handle it.”

“Well, _you_ didn’t really handle it, did you?” Emma said her worry coming out as anger. “You got them involved too,” she said, waving at her parents.

David spoke softly before Henry could retort, “I don’t understand. Did we do something bad? It was a fight. I’ve been in many before.”

Emma’s gaze switched to David, she could see his growing concern and the utter confusion on Snow’s face. Another moment where she knew the 21st century parenting philosophies that had been relayed to her through the osmosis of television and pop culture were at direct odds with her parents Medieval childhood. She took a deep breath, “No David, you didn’t do anything bad. I just…I don’t like to see you guys hurt.” She reached out and clasped the back of her son’s neck, squeezing gently. Henry broke first and gave her his endearing little grin.

David’s gaze flickered back and forth between them, only smiling when he saw them do the same. He released a relieved sigh. “I’m pleased we did nothing to upset you, Emma.”

Snow released an impatient sigh, her arms folded in irritation at the whole proceeding, “Why should she be upset, we were defending _her_ son,” she gave Emma an inscrutable look.

“I’m not mad,” Emma said. “I was just worried. Did you guys try talking?”

“Before or after they were punching my face?” asked Henry sarcastically. “C’mon Mom. You know we’re more of an action family than a talking family anyway,” this last was said with some bravado.

Emma shrugged and gave in, she certainly thought  diplomacy was overrated. But after over a year of being a mom, she was trying to make sure her son had more choices then she had. “All right,” she said. “Just don’t put anyone in the hospital.” She stroked her son’s face, frowning at the small scratches and bruises on his arms.

He shook free. “I’m fine,” he said again.

Emma’s gaze switched to David, who had mopped up most of the blood of his face, but whose clothing was now blood-stained and torn, to Snow who was as immaculate as when she had left that morning. “Are you guys really all right?” she asked.

“Of course,” said David, nonchalantly. “I’ve been in hundreds of fights.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him, “Hundreds?” Then she turned to Snow. “What about you?”

David interrupted quickly, “I tried to insist that she not join us, but she was adamant,” his gaze flickered to Snow, admiring. “She’s has amazing aim, though.”

Snow tossed her head in pride, “I have better aim with the sling then nearly all the kingdom,” her voice caught and lowered as she looked around furtively, “As long as my parents don’t find out.”

Henry chuckled as he explained to Emma, “I let Snow have my slingshot. She’s never had one before.”

“The, what is it called Henry-?”

“Rubber.”

“The rubber makes a marvelous improvement to the sling,” said Snow eagerly. “It’s more like when I aim my bow.”

“Wait-,” said Emma. “How did you learn to use all these weapons? I thought you learned them when you were-“ she faltered when she saw the expression on Snow’s face, “I thought princesses didn’t learn that kind of stuff,” she finished lamely.

The little girl chewed her bottom lip. “I-“

“Emma!” yelled Ruby as she jogged towards them. “I heard the yelling all the way from Granny’s, are you all okay?” She looked at the children worriedly.

Snow held her hands behind her and stealthily passed David the slingshot. He shoved it in the back of his pants and folded his shirt over it to cover the prominent lump. “We’re well Red,” said Snow sweetly. “There was a fight, but the boys fought so bravely.”

Emma was amazed when Snow turned an admiring gaze to the boys and – oh my G-d – did her mother just flutter her eyelashes at her father?

David caught on quickly. “They weren’t true fighters,” he said stoutly, giving Snow, then Red a smile, “They were easy to defeat.”

Emma frowned suspiciously at her mini-parents. Why was Snow hiding the slingshot? And why was she pretending she had nothing to do with the fight?

“Could we get some food, Mom?” Henry interrupted her whirling thoughts. “Battling evil can make you hungry,” he gave her a roguish smile that reminded her a lot of his father.

“Fine,” she sighed. “Let’s got get milkshakes.” She was gratified when Ruby clasped a friendly arm around her neck.

“Feeling a little overwhelmed?” Ruby asked sympathetically.

“Every hour, of every day,” groaned Emma, a headache forming around her temples.

When Snow and Henry had disappeared to wash up in the restrooms at Granny’s, David switched sides so he was sitting in the booth next to Emma. “I’m glad we did not upset you with the fight,” he began. “I thought at first, you were angry that we allowed Snow to fight with us, or that we were fighting nobles.”

Emma stretched her legs under the table, and turned a little so she could look at him better, “Why would it matter if you were fighting nobles?” she asked already knowing what he would say about Snow joining the fray.

“Why-because they are nobles,” stammered David, his eyes showing puzzlement.

“And-,” prompted Emma.

“And we aren’t.  I mean, I am not. And Henry seems to be in a strange situation of which he speaks little.”

“I’m still not seeing the problem, kid,” said Emma, closing her eyes and trying to massage her temples.

She felt David shrink back from her a little, and lean back into the seat. When she opened her eyes, she found him gazing at her pensively. “What?”

David sighed. “There are many things I don’t understand about this place,” he said, waving his hand to encompass more than the diner.

“You’re going to have to be a little more specific, David. So I can understand,” Emma said, a trifle less patiently than usual.

David played with the button on the cuff of his shirt, then sighed again. He didn’t seem to notice that Henry and Snow had slid silently in the booth across from them, their concern matching the seriousness that clouded the table. “When I was younger,” David began slowly, “I had a good friend named Charles.  We met one day, when we both took our sheep to the same meadow.” He looked up to catch each of them in his glance. “He didn’t have many friends. He was dumb, you see,” he clasped his hand gently over his mouth.

“He couldn’t speak?” clarified Emma gently.

The boy shook his head gravely. “Not a word. But he would use gestures and I..” David’s smile was both shy and proud, “Later I taught him to write. His parents couldn’t, so after my mother taught me, I taught him. He was so pleased because then he could talk with other people, not just the ones who understood his gestures.”

“That was kind of you,” Snow’s voice was a soft interruption.

David shrugged, “He was a good friend. And he was almost magic with the animals. He could tell when a sheep was sickly…even before it had symptoms. And other forest animals would come to him when they shied away from others,” David paused, took a deep breath, “He was my good friend.” He set his shoulders. “One day, I was late with my herd and when I came to our meeting place, I heard shouting.” He looked up, the anger on his face unmistakable. “Two boys, in their thirteenth or fourteenth winter were holding him and punching him. One of them had – had grabbed hot pebbles from near the fire Charlie had made and was saying ‘Let’s make the Mushmouth talk!’ And Charlie, he was  - he was making these horrible animal grunts and whimpers…trying to make them stop.”

Emma looked a Snow, whose own face had set in stern lines, to Henry, who looked upset.

David continued, “I grabbed a stone and knocked one boy across the head as hard as I could. Then I punched the other boy’s jaw. He let go of Charlie and stumbled back. I picked up more stones, and threw them at him. Then I started punching the other one, where he fell. When they ran, they were both bloody,” there was a grim pride in the child’s voice now. “I picked up Charlie and we took the sheep to a new pasture, but we knew there was trouble yet.”

Snow was nodding in sudden understanding, but Henry looked confused. Emma had an inkling, based on their previous conversation, but she let her father say it.

“They were nobles. I went home that night and I said nothing to my parents. I hoped naught would come of it. But the next morning, a group of men made their way to our farm. The lord showed my parents his son’s bruises and asked me if I was the one that put them there. I couldn’t deny it…

_David looked at his parents, seeing the worry on his mother’s face and the worry mixed with anger on his father’s face._

_“My apologies sir,” his father said, bowing his head lowly. “Have no doubt, he will be whipped severely.” The look his father gave him was full of promise and David shriveled a little inside. His father had spanked him, but had never used the leather strap on him._

_“I would think so,” the lord’s voice was like ice. “John, give him the whip.”_

_David’s eyes shot to his father’s and he watched as his skin blanched. “Please sir,” his father said. “His mother…his little sister are present. Please let me take care-“_

_“We will witness this punishment,” the lord snapped, “or we will enact our own.”_

_His father tried again, “His mother…his sister…”_

_The lord’s eyes traveled to the silent woman holding the babe in her arms. He waved his arm carelessly, “Begone to the house,” he commanded._

_Anna glanced worriedly between her father and brother, and at the strange man who had brought this solemnity to their house. “No!” she wailed. “Dabey!”_

_David gave her a frightened glance and tried to smile but he couldn’t think of any words to reassure her._

_Ruth clutched her baby tightly, looking at her husband and son with anguish in her eyes. Geoffrey nodded and she disappeared into the house, her choked sobs rattling her body but making no sound._

_The lord turned to the small boy in front of him. “Take off your shirt,” he commanded._

_Geoffrey blanched. Not only was he to whip his son for the first time, but he was to beat him like a slave? The thought was unbearable. He moistened his lips, “Sir…”_

_The lord said nothing, but he began to gesture to one of the men behind him. Before he could say anything, David’s hand went shakily to his shirt, and he drew it over his head. The nobles son slid from his horse to stand in front of David._

_Geoffrey looked at his son. Only when he was born had he seemed so small. He was trembling a little, but his lips were compressed firmly. When he turned and presented his back, Geoffrey felt himself falter. He looked at the entourage of men, took a deep breath, and let his arm fall. David shuddered and made a tight breathy sound. His arm fell again. And again. And again. He refused to count, his actions apparent as he saw the red welts line his son’s back. When they started to bleed, he bit his lip. Although his son should be sobbing by now, he was barely whimpering. When a scream rent the air, all eyes turned to the small form barreling towards David. Anna’s small foot delivered a sharp kick to the noble son’s knee. He pushed her to the ground where she wailed in astonishment and pain._

_The noble’s voice was flat, “It seems that both of your children need a lesson in obedience.”_

_“No!” David’s voice was shrill, the sobs that he had held at bay were released. He gathered Anna in his arms, and dropped to his knees in front of the noble’s son. “Please sir. Please. I ask your pardon. I **beg** your pardon. Please…please…” his voice came out in choking gasps._

_Geoffrey felt his chest tighten in hurt, anger, and pride as he listened to his son. He looked at his wife, who was standing by the door, tears streaming down her face._

_The noble’s son looked to his father, who waved a hand in acceptance. The boy smirked unpleasantly and kicked dirt over David who bent further to shield his sister. David said nothing, his head low as Anna wept softly into his neck._

_“Make sure your son understands our generosity, such will never be given  again,” said the noble in warning._

_Geoffrey nodded stiffly, keeping his own gaze to the ground, masking his fury and hatred.  The lessening sound of the horses hooves, alerted them to their distance. Geoffrey looked at their disappearing backs, and moved to his children. He gathered them in his arms, Anna and David clinging tightly together, and tried to keep from exacerbating his son’s wounds. He swiftly took them indoors, Ruth following, and lay David on their bed._

_“My son,” cried Ruth, kissing the back of his head repeatedly, not wanting to leave him but knowing she needed to make a poultice to prevent infection. Geoffrey moved to take her place, so she could do so, reaching a hand out to stroke his son’s head._

_A small hand reached out to slap his. “Bad Papa. Bad! Hurt Dabey.”_

_Geoffrey looked at his daughter, surprised and slightly hurt that the admiration that usually showed in her face was covered by anger. She crossed her arms over her small chest and glared at him._

_“Anna!” said Ruth in stern tones, as she stirred the poultice mixture at the hearth._

_“No Amma,” David had turned on his side to look at her, and his voice was more grave than he had ever used with her.  She looked at him uncertainly, her lips pushed forward in a pout. “Papa’s good. Davey was bad,” he said, his eyes flickering to his father’s both giving and seeking forgiveness._

David looked at them. “Papa scolded me. He said he was glad that I learned my place as a small boy rather than as a man where I could be killed for such an act,” a small smile curled at the corners of his mouth. “He wasn’t as mad as he sounded though, because he stroked my head when he thought I was asleep. And I heard him tell Mama I was a brave boy,” his look at that declaration, was one of utter contentment.

“That’s horrible,” Henry interrupted in a shaky voice, looking upset with this knowledge of his great-grandfather. “He shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

David looked surprised. “He was right to scold me. He was being kind. He and Mama let me sleep in their bed all day and all night,” he said with incredulousness. “And I stayed in bed the whole day…and didn’t do my chores!” Emma could tell from the expression on his face, that that was an unheard of privilege. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Had her father told her this story earlier on, she would have found it hard to picture him as a small boy. But looking at him in front of her, the entire story was so easy to see. Her father, who had been willing to risk a beating for a friend and had only bent when his sister had been threatened. She put her arm around him, and kissed his head, as he had done to her so many times. David reddened but looked pleased.

Snow’s arms were wound so tightly around herself that it was a wonder she could breathe. “You will tell me their names. My father will see to them,” she said, her voice stiff.

“They aren’t of your kingdom,” David reminded her gently.

“It matters not. They were being cruel to a damaged boy and you stopped them. You were being noble. You didn’t deserve to be punished like that,” Snow’s outrage was so strong she was practically vibrating.

David shrugged. “They were nobles. It is their right.” A slightly smug look swept over his face and a secretive look in his eyes that Emma catalogued and noted to extract from him another time. She waved Ruby over, who had been eyeing the little group from the counter, not willing to interrupt what was obviously a serious conversation.

Red moved over to their table, dropping a milkshake in front of each of them. “I made your favorites,” she told them.

“Thanks Red,” said Henry digging in immediately, as if pleased he had something new to focus on.

Snow picked up the spoon and twirled it thoughtfully, running the edge of the spoon through the whipped cream and licking it off in dainty bites.

David deposited the cherry in his mouth and looked at Emma, his earlier pensiveness artfully covered with a gregarious smile. “To our victory in battle,” he said holding the glass in his hands.

Snow and Henry immediately lifted theirs as well. “To our victory,” they repeated, Henry with a smile and Snow with a scowl, showing she was still upset about David’s mistreatment.

Emma picked up her own milkshake. What the hell. “To your victory.”

The four glasses clinked together.


	7. Gone Swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I’m pretty happy because in the course of writing this chapter, the ending or at least the question of who started this “curse” was clarified for me. It only took 69 pages. There were certainly several characters vying for supremacy.

David had been growing more withdrawn and Snow was growing sullen. It bothered Emma more than she could say. What was more problematic was that Snow seemed to have it out for Henry.

“You are the clumsiest boy I have ever met,” shrieked Snow in dismay as hot chocolate dripped all over the table and into her lap.

“Sorry,” said Henry, flushing in embarrassment and frustration.

“You’re forever apologizing,” said Snow sharply, “Not that it does any good.”

“You’re being rude, Snow,” said David sharply from his seat at the table before Emma could say anything. “We’re guests here.” Neither David, nor Snow had any qualms about reproving one another on a number of occasions.

Snow scowled and turned from the table. “I’ll just get dressed. Once more,” she said, shedding the milk-stained sweater as she walked away. David looked apologetic as he went to gather his school things from the bedroom

Henry looked at his mom, hurt evident on his face. Emma squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, kid.”

Henry continued to frown. “I miss Grams,” he said sulkily. Emma kissed his head. He had seemed to be having fun with his mini-grandparents. She hadn’t realized he had been missing them as much as she had.

“I don’t know why she’s acting so weird. We’re always arguing and stuff but yesterday when Michael tried to take my cupcake, she bashed him over the head with her lunchbox.”

“Well she – wait, she what? Why didn’t I hear about this?” Emma demanded.

Henry’s mouth opened and closed a few times as he realized he had ratted out his grandmother. “Oops.”

“Henry…” Emma put a hand on her hip and glared at him.

“She told Michael if he said anything to the lunch supervisor or any other teacher she was going to make the birds around the school to peck him to death, starting with his eyeballs,” said Henry, smiling at the memory. Michael was one of the biggest kids in the school and he delighted in tormenting the little ones. “Then she gave me her cupcake so I had two,” Henry finished. “I just don’t get her right now.”

Emma could tell he was really upset. “I don’t know either Henry. I’ll try and talk with her.”

That had been four days ago but Snow’s aberrant behavior hadn’t ceased. She seemed to be going out of her way to torment Henry. In return, Henry started doing everything he could to annoy her back. Every day was a game of one-upmanship. Even David was tired of refereeing. Feeling close to double homicide,  Emma sat down with Henry. “Look kid, I know this sucks, but I just need you to step up for me right now. I wish I could be one of those moms that can do everything and has all their sh-stuff together, but I’m not. And I just can’t handle one more thing going wrong right now, okay? So do me a favor and don’t fight with Snow. And don’t get into any trouble. Don’t even think about doing something that will get you in trouble. Okay?” Emma knew she sounded desperate because that’s exactly how she felt.

Henry looked at her solemnly. “Okay Mom. For you,” his tone tried to be mocking but it came out tender.

“Thank you,” Emma drew him into a brief hug. “Seriously, kid. Thank you.”

Henry’s voice was muffled in her shoulder “You know I’m going to give you a hard time about this later?”

“Yeah. That sounds about right,” said Emma, holding on a little longer.

When she tried talking to Snow, she was met with an opaqueness that was eerily familiar. How many times in her life had she managed that same look? It was hard to know what was going on with the little girl but Emma found herself somewhat comforted the other night when she watched Snow stealthily cover Henry with a blanket, taking care to tuck the edge beneath his chin. Her Snow, their Snow was in there but she was being masked very cleverly by this angry child.

When she received a call from the school, Emma wasn’t completely surprised. She was however, dismayed to learn it was because neither Snow nor David had shown up at school. Emma looked at the clock. About an hour and a half had gone by since school had begun. Heaving a weary sigh, she began making calls, making sure Ruby was the first. When Ruby reached the sheriff’s station, Emma had contacted everyone she thought who might have seen the children. Nobody had. She waved to Ruby as she finished her call with Leroy, “You guys try the west side of town, okay? But be discreet, I don’t want everyone to know their missing,” she turned to Ruby as she clicked the phone off. “Do you think you can pick up their scent?”  
Ruby frowned at her playfully and clapped her reassuringly across the back. “Who are you talking to, Emma?”

Emma nodded, making herself smile through her worry.  She liked this Ruby. So much more confident then pre-curse Ruby. She was sure Ruby would find the kids. Positively sure. Well mostly positive. Like 90% no – 80% positive.

Ruby dragged her to the car by the hand, “C’mon, we’ll start at the school. You dropped them off today, right?”

“Yeah. Everyday,” Emma confirmed as they got into the car.

Emma was dismayed to find Regina at the school. “What happened?” demanded Regina immediately, looking pissed as usual.

“What are you doing here?” Emma asked.

“I told the school to contact me if anything happened with the children,” said Regina. “Where’s Snow?”

“Wait- why would they do that? You’re not even-,” Emma could feel herself gearing up for a fight, thankful she could direct some of her frustration at the annoyingly calm woman.

Regina froze her with a glare, “One of the teachers there is a former soldier of mine. He keeps me apprised of the school affairs.”

“Emma, I’ve got their scent,” Ruby interrupted.

Both Regina and Emma’s heads turned in tandem. “They’re this way,” Ruby said, pointing northeast.

They drove until they reached the edge of the woods, Emma and  Ruby in the sheriff’s car – Regina following behind in her own vehicle. Ruby got out the car and took a big whiff of the air, “That way,” she said pointing again. They walked for over fifteen minutes before they heard the sounds of splashing and childish laughter. Regina and Emma pushed their way past Ruby to the clearing beside a pond.

David, clad only in his Batman boxer shorts, was perched on a large rock in the middle of the pond. He held his hand out. Snow used it to pull herself out, her underwear and camisole clinging to her like a second skin.

Emma turned when Regina sighed noisily. “I suppose I should be grateful she’s not completely naked.”

“They’re only ten years old,” Emma said incredulously.

Regina gave her one of those glares that always made her feel stupid. “There aren’t bathing suits in the Enchanted Forest, Miss Swan. Swimming was usually done without clothing. Of course,” Regina turned back to the children, her lips pursing in disapproval, “It isn’t proper to do so in mixed company.”

Snow shoved David gleefully off the rock. “Now, I’m the queen of the castle and you’re the dirty rascal!” she giggled.

David came up sputtering, but with a large smile on his own face, “You cheat, Snow.”

The little girl shook her head vehemently, “No, I ‘m crafty. And I like to win!”

Regina looked like she was going to say something when Emma grabbed her arm. They had had moments of happiness, but the look on their faces now was pure joy. Freed from the constraints of polite behavior, unhampered by the need to fit in… they were really happy. Emma felt a pang. She hadn’t realized how stressed and overwhelmed they must have been feeling. She watched them for a few more moments as they chattered and splashed one another. Then Ruby cleared her throat. “Right.” She whistled shrilly.

Instantly both children turned. When they saw the assortment of adults waiting on the bank, their faces fell. Snow was the first move. Her eyes fluttered from Regina to Emma’s as she heaved a sigh so big, her shoulders came out of the water. When she reached the bank, she stood there, shivering slightly in the breeze.

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Regina’s voice, stiff with a thick undercurrent of anger interrupted Emma before she could even begin.

Snow shrugged, her face a picture of self-possession, but her body language tense.

David waded quickly through the shallow water and stood next to Snow. “It’s my fault. I didn’t wish to be at school today,” he said, looking at Emma but eyes drifting to Regina’s for a moment.

Snow rolled her eyes. “That’s ridiculous Davey. You know it was my idea.”

“No. It was my idea because I said I didn’t wish to go there,” David said stubbornly.

“Well,” said Regina coldly. “That says a great deal about how you were brought up.”

Emma watched the red as it crept up David’s face and his lip trembled minutely. Regina knew exactly where to hit him. Implying his mother had done a poor job was the surest way to hurt him. “Knock it off Regina,” she said tiredly.

Snow was looking at Emma and Regina, stiffness clear in her posture. “It was my idea to leave, and I made Davey come with me. He’s a good boy. _His_ mother did a fine job.”

There was an under current of anger that both Regina and Emma caught. “I there something you want to say, Snow?” Regina demanded.

“Only what I’ve said,” Snow’s tone bordered on insolence

Emma looked at the little girl closely. She was the very picture of defiance, recognizable in large part, to her resemblance to Henry when he got into a certain mood. It was something about the set of her chin…Emma looked at Regina to see if she had noticed it. From the sudden whiteness on her face and the clenched jaw, it was probable that she had.

“You are being very rude Snow,” Regina’s voice was silky but thick with warning. “It would behoove you so think wisely before you spoke again.”

Something fluttered behind Snow’s expression – so fast that Emma was unable to catch it. Then she lifted her chin up a bit higher to say, “That isn’t really for you to say. I’m not living with you right now.”

Emma was surprised despite herself. David looked nervously between the two while Ruby looked thoughtful.

Regina’s face was a thundercloud as she stared at the small child before her, then a look of…understanding passed over her face. She turned to lean closer to Emma and spoke in a low tone. “I need to speak to Snow,” she said, not asking. Demanding.

Emma looked to the fuming former Evil Queen and the slightly smug looking child. “Uh-uh. No way. You’ll kill her. And knowing you, that would be a literal killing,” said Emma.

“I am not going to kill your mother,” said Regina, looking like she had said the words a thousand times before.

“Your past assassination attempts would seem to disprove that theory,” said Emma pointedly.

“Believe me, Miss Swan. Had I wanted your mother dead when she was a child, she would be dead.”

The coldness of the tone and words did not reassure Emma in the slightest. “Now that’s a ringing endorsement,” she said sarcastically.

Regina closed her eyes, as if praying for patience.

Ruby had moved closer to the two woman, drawing them away from the children. “I think you should do it Emma,” she said quietly.

Emma turned to her swiftly. “You’re her best friend! How could you even think about trusting-“

Ruby shook her head. “I’ll be there too. I’ll make sure Regina doesn’t hurt Snow. But Emma, you have to do something. They can’t run away like this. It’s not safe. Maybe before, Storybrooke was safer  then the Enchanted Forest but now that the curse broke, it’s a dangerous place.”

Emma looked between them at the children. David had moved until he was shoulder to shoulder with Snow, and her hand was clasped firmly in his. She knew Snow was pushing. Why, was still somewhat of a mystery but Ruby was right. Something needed to be done. She turned back to Regina. “You can’t hurt her,” she said, her voice thickening. “You’re not to lay a hand on her. You can’t call her names, or belittle her. You can’t scream at her -

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “Shall I pat her on the head as well?” she asked sarcastically.

“Look, if you’re going to yell at her, do it like you’d do to Henry. Okay?”

Regina’s face was a mixture of emotions but when her chin dipped slightly in acknowledgement, Emma felt herself relax minutely. Emma and Regina went back to the children. Regina held her hand out, “Come Snow, we need to talk,” she demanded imperiously.

The small, slightly smug look Snow had been wearing slipped right off of her face. She looked at Emma. “But I’m staying with you,” she said, moving closer and grabbing her hand. She was passing sidewise, anxious glances at Regina.

Reluctantly, Emma transferred Snow’s small hand into Regina’s.

“Emma!” whimpered Snow sounding truly upset.

Emma was having a difficult time removing her hand from Snow’s shoulder. She looked at Regina again, then at Ruby, who was nodding reassuringly. She looked at Snow and saw that fluttering emotion behind her eyelids again. She let go.

Immediately Snow’s small shoulders slumped dramatically and her head dropped as Regina led her further away, covered lightly in the canopy of the forest. Ruby unhesitatingly followed them.

David was twitching nervously at her side. He tugged on her hand. “Emma! You can’t let this happen! She’s unkind to Snow!”

She frowned and dropped to her knees. His skinny little body was shaking slightly as he wrapped his arms around him for warmth. Emma didn’t have to manufacture irritation, she was genuinely angry. “What were you thinking, David! We talked about this! You aren’t supposed to go wandering around without me. You promised me!” She didn’t resist the urge to shake his shoulder.

David’s blue eyes shimmered and his voice cracked a little when he spoke, “I’m sorry Emma. We-I just didn’t think. I didn’t want to go to school and when I told Snow she-we decided we wouldn’t.” David’s best attempts to protect Snow were hampered by his poor ability to lie.

“I really don’t care if you wanted to be at school or not. You’re safe there. It’s a safe place for you, and Snow, and Henry. I was worried as hell when I found out you were gone. I had no idea what happened to you!” Emma heard her voice raise as David tried to step back. She held his arm firmly.

“I-,” David took a deep breath, tears in his voice. Emma had discovered that David the child was much more embarrassed about crying than David the adult. “I-I’m sorry,” he finally managed, voice soft.

Emma released him to glare at him, noticing his shivering had become stronger. “Put on your clothes,” she said tiredly, hoping to give herself time to calm down.

David went to the small pile of clothing that belonged to him, drawing the clothes over his body as quickly as possible. The tentative, heart-breaking looks he gave her made her feel slightly bad but her anger had not burnt out. When he dragged his feet-literally dragged his feet- back over to her, she sighed. “Why didn’t you want to go to school today, David?” she asked gently.

A lone tear tracked down his face and her rubbed his shirt sleeve roughly against it. “I don’t know,” he said softly, not looking at her.

“David. I’m pretty mad right now so you lying to me is a really bad idea,” she said.

He heaved a giant breath to say, “I didn’t-I didn’t want you to know about me.”

“What do you mean? Know about you?”

David’s hand clenched hard and he looked at the ground. Finally, in a hurt laden voice he admitted, “I didn’t want you to know that I am stupid.”

“What! You aren’t stupid David. Who called you stupid?” Emma felt the immediate desire to either hit or arrest whomever had said that to him.

His jaw clenched even more tightly, “Nobody _said_ I was stupid. I just know that I am.”

“Hey!” Emma used her hand to lift his chin so they could be eye-to-eye. “You’re not stupid and I don’t like you saying that. Knock it off.” David was bright, and curious, and intuitive. Where had he got this idea?

David tried to jerk his chin out of her hand but she didn’t let go. “All the other children can do math I’ve never even heard of! They read books that are hundreds of pages long. My family doesn’t own one book! They know things about the stars and creatures I’ve never heard of!” his voice had gotten progressively louder until he was nearly shouting.

Emma looked at him, slightly shocked, “David…”

“And it isn’t my mother’s fault! It isn’t! She did the best she could. It isn’t her fault that her son is stupid,” David spat the last part out, half-defiantly, half-wounded.

Emma tapped his lips lightly with her finger. “What did I say, about you calling yourself that?” she admonished softly. She looked down at him regretfully, sorry she hadn’t figured out earlier what was bothering him. For not realizing the differences in his education would have been so dramatic. She drew him into a hug, ignoring how his body stiffened in mortification. “I’m sorry kid. I’m really sorry Davey,” she said. “I should have figured it out. You aren’t stupid. Not at all. And your mama did a great job teaching you. Kids here start school when they’re five. Sometimes even before that. They’re whole job is to go to school. They don’t help farm or take care of the sheep all day like you do. Believe me David, if you went to school for six hours a day, for as many years as they have, school would be a lot easier for you too.”

David looked at her somewhat suspiciously, tears dampening his cheeks from the intensity of his shame. “You only wish to make me feel better,” he mumbled.

“I do want to make you feel better, but I’m not lying to you. Ask anyone at school,” she willed for him to believe her.

He looked at her, desperate for confirmation, and relaxed when he saw the utter sincerity in her eyes. “Oh,” he managed. The little boy leaned into her, exhausted and seeking comfort.

Emma reproached herself internally for not figuring this out sooner. It was just so hard for her to remember sometimes. David and Mary Margaret had memories of high school, dances, even going to the fair. Their pop culture references were stuck in the Eighties, but they still understood her most of the time. Even Snow and David had a difficult time sorting though memories. “When I learned to drive,” Snow had laughed one day. Then stopped, a frown of her face. “That never happened. Of course not. How stupid of me.” She had tried to pick up the rhythm of conversation again, but Emma read the frustration on her face. Fake memories along with twenty-eight years of curse memories, coupled with twenty-eight years or so of Fairy Tale memories. Emma was honestly impressed that the Storybrooke in habitants were dealing with it as well as they were. Little David and Snow had only memories of the Enchanted Forest. She stroked David’s head fondly. She would talk to his teacher. She was sure he was doing better then he had any right to be. If she knew her father…her mind caught on that thought. She did. She knew her father. Was getting to know him better all the time. If she knew her father, he had been using his various skills to figure out as much as possible. She let her thoughts dwell on his Enchanted Forest life for a moment. How must it have been, going from shepard to prince in a single day? He had figured it out remarkably fast. How hard must he have studied? How careful must he have been in his presentation? He was so much like her. The ability to read people. The ability to be what they needed him to be. Even for a short while.

Emma kissed his head. “I’m sorry kid. I should have done a better job of looking out for you,” she admitted.

He roused himself, “You do a good job of looking out for us, you just have many responsibilities.” His instant defense made Emma feel a little better, but only a little.

“I do,” she agreed. She let some sternness creep back into her tone, “Which becomes a lot more complicated when you kids aren’t where you’re supposed to be.”

“I’m sorry,” said David again, toe digging into the ground.

“I get that buddy, but you guys are in big trouble with me,” Emma said firmly.

He nodded his understanding, letting her continue to clasp his shoulders.

They sat there quietly until the bushes parted and Regina and Snow walked through them. Snow was crying, her grip on Regina’s hand nearly white knuckled.

Emma glared preemptively, “Regina,” she growled.

“Tears are an excellent indication that a bad behavior will not be repeated,” Regina said coolly, unperturbed by Emma’s anger.

Ruby appeared behind them and gave Emma a nod. Apparently it had gone well. Still. Her mother was _sobbing_.

“Snow,” she tried.

But the little girl turned into Regina and sobbed into her shirt, clutching her around her waist tightly. Emma couldn’t understand much but was pretty sure she heard “sorry” and “won’t do it again”.

Regina glared at the rest of the small party, but slowly put her arms around the child, and spoke lowly into her ear. Snow nodded a couple of times. Then turned to the sheriff. “I’m sorry Emma,” she said in a small voice.

Emma was relieved when the little girl accepted her hug. “We’ll work it out,” she said, unwilling to say things were “ok”.

The walk back to the cars was quiet, and Regina stiffly accepted the hug Snow bestowed on her before she left, not before glaring at the rest of them though. Again. “Remember what I said,” she warned the little girl.

“Yes ma’am,” Snow responded, subdued.

When they reached the car, the children slid silently in the back. From the front mirror, Emma could see David giving Snow side-long glances. “Are you unwell?” he finally whispered, the acoustics in the car making his speech easily heard.

Snow gave him a wan smile. “As well as can be expected,” she said.

He moved a little closer. “She was quite angry. I was concerned.”

Snow looked down at her dress, tracing a line in the cloth. “You needn’t be. She was upset.” She looked up to meet David’s eyes. “Really upset. I’m not allowed to step foot out of the castle grounds. She reminded me of what happened the last time I did so.”

“Really?” David looked contemplative. “But you didn’t step foot out of your castle.”

The little girl made a face, “That’s the kind of talk that gets me in more trouble. That’s the type of thing when I’m supposed to know better then that.”

David nodded in understanding. Then looked at her curiously. “What happened the last time?”

Snow colored slightly. “Last summer, it was such a beautiful day. I wanted to gather some flowers and just…wander, I suppose. I sneaked out.”

David looked amazed. “I didn’t know you could do that! Don’t you have servants looking out for you?”

“Ye-es,” Snow drew the word out, “But I told Johanna that I was going to go riding and I told my riding instructor that I was going to your music lesson...it created some confusion.” Snow looked furtively at the front seat and Emma diverted her eyes from the mirror. There was no chance in hell she was going to miss this story.

David didn’t seem whether or not to look shocked or impressed. He settled on satisfying his curiosity. “What happened?” he asked again.

“I followed some Starlings for awhile. Then I found a lovely bunch of flowers. But…” Snow hesitated.

“What?”

“I hadn’t realized I was near a Troll Bridge. They came crawling up like spiders to grab me,” her fists tightened at the memory.

David’s jaw dropped. “This happened to you Snow, truly?”

Snow nodded. “I was terrified, but I didn’t scream. They talked Troll talk to each other, so I didn’t know what they were saying. It seemed bad. They started to take me under the bridge when-“ her face brightened at the memory, “Regina saved me. Again.”

“How did she find you?” asked David.

Snow shrugged, “She wouldn’t tell me, then or now. But David” her excitement made her voice rise slightly, “She used magic. Real and true magic!”

“She’s a witch,” David sounded even more terrified of Regina.

Snow frowned. “No! She’s just…she’s just…” Snow stopped, unable to think of the right description. “She’s just magic.”

“How did she defeat the trolls?”

“She turned them into tiny bugs, and squashed them flat,” Snow’s girlish giggles pealed throughout the car and she immediately clapped her hands to her mouth.

“What’s going on back there?” asked Emma, continuing the charade.

“Snow’s telling a funny story,” said David honestly.

“Maybe there should be less story-telling and more thinking about the trouble you’re in,” said Emma, loathe to lose the rest of the story but pretty sure Snow would be unable to resist finishing the tale.

The children nodded, and silence reigned for awhile. Emma turned to Red. “Regina really wasn’t mean to Snow?” she asked, her worry apparent in her voice.

Ruby shook her head, “Not by Enchanted Forest standards, anyway.”

“Ruby,” said Emma in frustration.

“I’m not trying to be difficult. I saw nothing wrong with what she said to Snow. She was harsh but what the kids did was really dangerous.” The lupine woman shrugged. “Granny would have said the same.”

Emma was slightly reassured. “Okay.”

When they dropped Red off at the diner, Emma couldn’t resist, “Okay, what happened after Regina squished the trolls?”

Twin looks of dismay greeted her words. “I have good hearing. And the back seat has great acoustics,” she informed them. “What happened?”

Snow plucked at the edge of her dress. “Regina rescued me,” she mumbled.

“What happened then?” asked David, semi-fearful.

Snow sighed tremendously, and turned to glare at him, “I suppose the same things your parents would have done if you’d run off somewhere without permission, frightened the household, and nearly been eaten by giant, smelly trolls.”

David leaned back, impressed. “I suppose there would be a David shaped hole where I am now,” he mused, “Because I don’t believe I would have survived my parents response.”

Emma spluttered in laughter. Her father chose this of all times to develop his sense of humor? He was hanging around Henry to much. She covered her laughter with a cough. “Yeah, well. I may not kill you but you’re not going to be running off again.”

Her threat was vague enough that both kids ducked their heads. Good. They were scared. She could work with that.

That night, when she was tucking Snow into bed, she stroked the little girl’s curls as they lay on the pillow. “I guess Regina knew you were sneaky, huh?” she asked, the thought had been preying on her mind all afternoon.

The little girl covered a yawn with one hand. “I don’t know how she found me,” she said again. “But after that she made Father find a governess for me.”

“Isn’t that like a nanny or something? I thought you had Johanna,” Emma said.

Snow looked insulted. “I’m to old for a nanny,” she said indignantly. “And Johanna’s not my nanny, she’s the castle chatelaine.”

Emma frowned. She was going to have to borrow Henry’s Medieval book again. “What does that mean?”

“It means that it was much harder to escape the castle,” sighed Snow on the cusp of sleep.

“No I meant…” Emma stopped. “That was probably better for you, wasn’t it?”

Snow shrugged. “More tedious,”  she yawned again. “But I wasn’t accosted by trolls again, if that’s what you are asking,” after those words she slid neatly into sleep.

Emma sat in the darkness, comforted by her mother’s even breathing. Snow had never mentioned the trolls before. When she said, “Regina saved me,” she meant more then the horse. Had there been others? Regina had saved her mother…and tried to kill her. Saved her again…and plotted her murder. Emma needed to talk to someone. Tomorrow, she would find Archie. Maybe he would help because this situation…this relationship was fraught with so many minefields that she was afraid one wrong step would blow everything apart.

 


	8. Therapy

 

Emma found herself at Archie’s office the next day, unloading to the insect turned therapist. He nodded at all the right places, hmmm’d in others.  When she finished, she dropped her head in her hands.

“How long do you think Snow has known that Henry is Regina’s son?” asked Archie, after several moments of silence.

Emma looked up, “What do you mean? She doesn’t know. We haven’t…Well, we’ve kind of hid it. We haven’t talked about it.”

“You don’t think she would have heard things at school or from anyone else?” Archie asked, twirling a pen in his hands.

“Well, no. I mean she would have said something. Snow’s chatty. Always has been.” It was something she could count on with her mother. Even when it exasperated her. “Everything that happens in school, I hear about. Why would she-“ Emma stopped, the realization hitting her. “She didn’t tell me,” she muttered unhappily.

Archie nodded sympathetically, “That would be my first guess, yes.”

“So you think her running off…”

“Probably had more to do with her confusion about Regina, more than anything else,” Archie nodded, shifting in his seat. “You have to remember Emma, she’s used to seeing Regina as her mother. It sounds like she was trying to provoke her into acting the way she was accustomed.”

“That seems kind of dangerous,” Emma frowned.

“I don’t think it was necessarily on a conscious level,” Archie assured her. “And you have to remember, children tend to be more impulsive anyway.” A fond smile lit his face, “David and Snow maybe more so than others.”

Emma straightened, letting her forearms rest over her thighs. “That’s right. You’ve known them for awhile.”

Archie nodded once more, “And I do think I know them. Snow has always been vulnerable to Regina, because she remembers the past.” He hesitated, “But I think that has changed since the curse has broken. I don’t know if you’re mother can ever forgive Regina for taking your childhood from them. She…Both she and your father are having a difficult time healing from that.”

“They told you that?” Emma merely whispered the words, her hand clasped together without her knowledge.

Archie smiled sadly, “They have said very little. Red is privy to more actual discussions. But I know how very badly they were looking forward to being parents. Their fervor in protecting the kingdom, was in large part their desire to protect you. When they learned of the curse, it cast a pall over them that nobody could lighten, and even that was when they thought Snow would be able to raise you.”

Emma felt the burning in her throat, and pushed the tears back. She liked Archie, but she refused to cry in front of him. “Yeah,” she muttered. She breathed a few minutes, focusing on her hands. When she finally thought her voice wouldn’t shake, she asked, “So what do I do about Regina? I mean, I can’t trust her with Snow. I mean, sometimes she – I don’t know – tolerates her? But she has a terrible track record with kids. Ava and Nicholas said she sent them to a witch’s house when they were in the Enchanted Forest. And she sent other kids there too. That died! And it’s not like she’s better here, because she sent them off knowing that the town border would…kill them? Make them disappear? I don’t know. Bad stuff anyway.”

Archie nodded slowly.  “I would agree that Regina’s actions with Snow are capricious. But you have to remember, Snow did survive her childhood, and she _is_ attached to Regina, whether you like it or not. You have to take that into account when you interact with them…as they are now.”

Emma nodded wearily, “Yeah. I got it Archie.” She reached for her jacket and put it on. “I’m going to talk to Snow.”

Archie stood as well, clasping her hand in a handshake. “I’m glad you came here to talk, Emma. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”

Emma let a small smile grace her lips, Archie really was a good guy…bug. Whatever. He was a friend of the family for sure. “Thanks.”

When she reached the apartment, she could hear Ruby and David upstairs. They were working on his homework. As Emma had expected, David was doing better then he thought, but there were a lot of holes in his education. She knew David was comfortable with Ruby, plus, she was a wolf so as a babysitter/bodyguard, she was the best.

Snow had covered the kitchen table with paper, markers, colored pencils and crayons. Emma stood quietly at the door. Snow’s brow was furrowed in concentration, and the light from the window made a halo of her hair. _She really is a beautiful kid_ Emma thought.

“Hi Emma!” David clattered down the stairs, breaking her stare.

“Hi kid. How’s the schoolwork going?” Emma asked, sliding her hands against her pockets as she leaned against the door.

David shrugged. “Well, when we go back to school, I believe I will not have any difficulty,” his eyes looked inquisitively at hers.

“Yeah, I still haven’t decided when that is,” said Emma carefully.

David’s face fell. Snow turned from her seat. “When does this “being grounded” cease?” she asked plaintively.

“Haven’t decided,” Emma said again. She wasn’t trying to be cruel, but there were several things she needed to figure out. She tried not to feel badly when her parents both bowed their shoulders pathetically. Although they had skipped school, being held from it while everyone else was there put them “in disgrace”, as Snow had muttered to David. Although Emma hadn’t done it to shame them, their reactions clearly proved it had.

David sighed, and reached for the doorknob. “Hey,” Emma stopped him.

“Red’s coming with me,” he said quickly. “We’re going for a walk.”

“Well, you’ll have to wait for her here,” insisted Emma.

The little boy sighed again, but didn’t say anything. In addition to the running away incident, Emma had found out that he had received two anonymous gifts, nestled in the path between their apartment and Granny’s diner. One was an intricately carved shield, the other a leather pouch. He had showed them to her yesterday, after realizing that it was unusual. Emma’s spidey sense had risen. She didn’t know who was taking an interest in her father, but she didn’t like it.

Ruby came down the stairs, wrapping her coat around herself, “Hi Emma,” she said. “David and I are going to go for a little walk. Do you want to come with us Snow?” she said, raising her voice to be heard by the little girl.

Snow looked wistful for a moment, but looked back at her papers and shook her head. “No thank you,” she said. “I would like to finish these.”

“Go ahead David,” Ruby said as she opened the door. David started down the hall, stopping when he had gone less than ten feet. Ruby stood in the doorway, keeping her eyes on him as she faced Emma as well. “I think you’re right,” she said in a low voice. “Have him help you at the station for at least half the day. Going to school all day is going to kill him. He’s like a…” she smiled a little, “a caged wolf. He needs to be out. He needs to be doing things.”

Emma nodded. “Yeah. Regina,” she said feeling her teeth clench despite herself, “Regina said I should have Snow take some music and art lessons. I could take them both out of school for the afternoon.”

Ruby let her eyes slide over to Snow and nodded, “I would. It’s just too much for them. We can work it out. I’ll help. So will Granny. We could even get Archie to babysit.”

Emma grinned, trying to imagine her parents reactions to that particular term. “Yeah. Sounds good. Bye!” she said as Red turned to leave.

“Good-bye Emma!” said David, already racing further down the hall. Poor kid. Red was right. David had reserves of energy that were barely leashed. He needed to be outside.

Emma walked over to the table. There was a neat stack of blank papers on one side, and another of completed pictures on the other. She watched Snow as she delicately used her pinky to blend the crayon and pencil together. The effect was startling. “Is that your castle?” Emma asked.

“Mmm-hmmm,” Snow bit her lip as she arched a line upward, forming the peak of a turret. The castle was painted in shadow and colors from the sunset, beginning at the corner of the paper.

“Can I look at these?” Emma said, gesturing to the pile of finished drawings.

Snow looked up, and rifled quickly through the stack.  “You can look at these,” she said, putting the others face down on her other side.

Emma looked at each picture. One of her and Henry reading quietly on the couch together, his head resting on her shoulder. There was one of David, grinning as he used a bow. His smile and the brightness of his eyes were the focus of the piece. One of just her, looking out the window one night, her face pensive. The glow of the moonlight reflected against her face and the window. She found one of Regina, but it must have been from Snow’s memory. She was dressed regally, sitting below an apple tree in what looked like a courtyard. She was gazing at the sky, the tiniest of smiles on her face. Emma took a breath, “You’re very good,” she said honestly.

Snow smiled and blushed slightly. “Thank you,” she responded politely.

“The pictures…” Emma started. They were raw, leaving her feeling a little exposed. Snow saw a lot more then she was saying. Every one of these pictures had been painted with love. More then that, they showed insight.

Snow turned to her, a question on her face. Emma changed her mind, “I didn’t know you could draw this well,” she admitted. Mary Margaret…grown-up Snow…she didn’t think she had seen either of them draw. Ever. More unknown aspects to her parents.

Snow shrugged a little, “I’ve had drawing lessons since I was quite small. Drawing, music, embroidery. All lessons befitting a princess,” her speech was especially colorless as she said this.

“You don’t like them?” Emma asked, letting her finger trace over Henry’s content expression.

“They aren’t terrible. But they aren’t the only lessons one must learn.”

“Like what?” Emma asked, thinking of the fighting skills her mother had displayed, even as a child.

Snow’s smiled quirked the corner of her lips as she used her thumb to blend the colors further in the sunset. “Many things. It’s a job full of responsibilities.”

She wasn’t going to say then. Emma vacillated between pursuing that avenue, but she had another one to discuss, and she had a feeling she’d need all her energy to follow it.

She sat down at the table to the left of Snow, and pulled a piece of paper to herself. She selected three of the colored pencils. She was no artist, hadn’t been taught so much as to draw a flower, but she thought she would be less threatening this way. She couldn’t however, curb her natural tendency towards bluntness. “Snow, why didn’t you tell me that you knew that Regina was also Henry’s mother?” she asked, putting the edge of the pencil to the paper.

Snow’s pencil paused for a mere moment, then moved forward. “I didn’t know it was a secret. It seemed to be common knowledge.”

There was an edge to her voice. Anger, Emma decided. “We weren’t trying to be secretive,” said Emma quietly. “We just didn’t want to confuse you. There was so much going on.”

This time, only one of Snow’s shoulders went up. A half-shrug saying she didn’t care. Only she did. “I could deal with it. I’ve dealt with many things,” her voice echoed Emma’s quiet tones.

“I’m sorry,” Emma offered, knowing what it felt like to have things hidden from her. “We should have said something earlier.”

Snow dropped her pencil to turn and face Emma, a genuine smile on her face. “You are the most peculiar adult Emma. I don’t think I have ever heard an adult apologize to a child,” she paused a moment, “Unless they were of different stations, of course.”

This time Emma shrugged, but she grinned back. She studied Snow’s face carefully. “So, if that wasn’t what was bothering you…” she began. Then changed her mind when she saw something cross Snow’s face. “It did bother you,” she corrected herself. “But that wasn’t all. What else?”

Snow looked at her gravely, Emma’s scrutiny unwavering, even when the silence grew weighted. Snow slowly extended her hand to turn over the topmost paper. Emma dropped her gaze. It was Regina and Henry. Emma didn’t know when she’d managed to capture them…see them. Regina and Henry’s small meetings had been timed when Snow and David were doing other things. Her mother really was a sneaky kid. Just as Emma was smiling at this thought, it dropped as she inspected the paper closely. The figures weren’t touching, but their heads were bent closely together.  Henry was pointing something out in the…book? Picture? That part wasn’t clear. The part that needed no explanation was the look in Regina’s eyes. Tender. Loving. She looked at Snow.

“She doesn’t…” Snow began. Her finger trembled over the picture slightly. “She won’t…” she tried again. Snow closed her eyes, and pressed her fingertips against her eyes, not allowing the tears to fall.

Emma moved quickly, pulling the little girl into her lap. Snow was almost to big for this, but she rested comfortably in Emma’s arms. Emma heard her own voice crack as she asked, “Why didn’t you talk to me?” the thought of her mother carrying this tremendous burden made her ache.

Snow breathed deeply, once, twice…then again. She opened her eyes, after swiping at her dry cheeks automatically. “I didn’t wish to bother you. Not with…little girl problems.”

Emma’s arms tightened, hearing the echo in those words. “Did Regina tell you that?”

Snow nodded reluctantly. “That’s stupid,” said Emma without thinking it through. “You’re problems are every bit as important as anything else.”

The little girl sighed a little. “Not as important as running the kingdom. Not as important as suffering in the villages, not as important as…”

Emma stopped her. “They’re important enough that you should be able to talk about them,” she corrected.

Snow sat silently, contemplating these words. Emma took a deep breath. “When I was little, I didn’t have a mother to talk to,” she began slowly. “I dreamed about what that would be like. I was always told that adults were too busy, and that what I was thinking about or what was happening to me was never as important as…pretty much anything else.” She felt Snow patting her hands gently, and she smiled down at her. “I wished so hard for a mother. Not just any mother though. My mother.” _Mama_ , she thought. It had always been Mama, up to her early teens. How had she know that she would have had a mama? Not a ‘mommy’ or a ‘mom’. She had given up on the thought of having a dad by the time she was six. Even a mother was a luxury, but it was one she had coveted with her whole heart. She looked at Snow, who was looking at her with more empathy then she had seen from the little girl. She managed a wavery smile. “I got her. And my father. Eventually. But not when I was little. Not when I needed someone to tell me that I was important. That what I thought said and mattered.”

“I’m sorry.” Emma startled at the words. She looked at the little girl, wondering if she was seeing the adult or the child. The voice sounded different. “I’m sorry that happened to you. That you didn’t have your mother. It’s not right for mothers to leave. Even if they don’t mean to.” The little girl shook her head. “It’s like being cut open and not being stitched back together.”

“Yeah,” said Emma softly. She had danced around and around this topic before with her parents. They had tried to go down that particular path, but none of them wanted to hurt one other more then they had already. Emma knew her parents regretted letting her go, but she also knew they felt they had no choice. And hell, maybe they hadn’t. Maybe Regina would have had her soldiers kill her before she had taken her first dozen breaths. Sometimes, she didn’t know if it hurt more or less, to know how diligently her parents had prepared for her birth. How much she would have been cuddled, and spoiled, and loved.

They sat quietly, and Snow eventually spoke, something that had obviously been preying on her lately. “I think good people can do bad things sometimes. I mean, if they really need too. They could still be good. They just might need to do something bad. To make things better in the end.”

Emma wondered who she was thinking about. Regina? Eva? Emma herself? Or maybe she was thinking of a little girl who had to make a decision and let her mother die. “I think so,” said Emma. Knew so. Things were rarely so black and white, even when everyone wished for the simplicity and clarity it would bring. “I’ll tell you what, though. Regina shouldn’t make you feel bad when there’s no cause for it. That’s not right either.”

Snow’s shoulders moved under her dress. “She’s different when we’re alone. Sometimes she plays with me. I think she’s even – fond of me. Sometimes, at least.”

Emma felt her heart tighten. “Snow…that’s-that’s not enough. You can’t let yourself get hurt just because someone likes you some of the time.”

The little girl frowned a little. “That’s not really for you to say, Emma,” her voice was reproving. “She’s the only mother that I have. Who are you…who is anybody to say what’s enough and what’s not enough? David has only his mother. You said you had no one until you were grown up. Who decides what’s enough?”

Emma closed her eyes at the matter-of-factness of the child’s tone. “I just w-,” she began.

Snow twisted in her lap to face her fully. “You like me,” she said, her voice easy with affection.

“I love you,” said Emma fiercely.

Snow’s smile made her eyes light up. “I love you too Emma.” She gave her a tight hug, her black head nestled on Emma’s shoulder.

Emma closed here eyes and hugged her back.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Even though Emma was completely exhausted that night, she couldn’t sleep. Restlessly, she paced the confines of the apartment, longing to take a drive and escape her thoughts, if only for a moment. She heard a soft movement by the stairs.

“Emma?” David’s soft voice reached her clearly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked immediately.

“Nothing,” said David, reaching to cover a yawn and rub at his eyes. “I heard you moving about.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“I’m not bothered,” he assured her politely. “Can you not sleep?”

She ran her fingers through her hair as she regarded him. “Not really. I have a lot on my mind.”

“You are worried?” he moved closer to her, the too-large pajama pants dragging slightly as he did so.

“Yeah.” She waved him to the couch where he surprised her slightly by seating himself directly beside her. Although an affectionate boy, he usually let Snow and Henry sit closest to her.

“I have something that might help,” his voice had turned slightly shy.

“What’s that?” she asked, letting her head drop back on the couch cushions in frustration. She was sure it was going to be a long night.

He sat cross legged so he could face her. “First you have to lay down and get comfortable,” he directed earnestly.

She sighed, giving him a look. “Really?”

His head bobbed, “Uh-huh. Mama had a trick for this kind of thing, but it only works if you get comfortable and close your eyes.”

“Fine,” she decided to appease him. She could pace again when he went to bed. She lay on the couch, surprised when she felt the warmth of a blanket over her. She opened one eye.

“Don’t want you to get cold,” David explained as he tucked it around her body.

Emma hummed lightly in response, then felt the couch cushions depress as he sat beside her. “Here’s the trick. You must tell me your worries, one by one,” he said, as he took one of her hands in both of his smaller ones.

“Uh. Okay,” she said slowly. “I’m worried that I won’t get all of my paperwork done tomorrow.”

“Poof!” said David, quiet but with great intensity.

Emma opened one eye again. “What the hell was that?”

“I’m taking away your worries,” David explained guilessly.

“How are you doing that?”

“Magic,” David shrugged.

“Magic? How do you explain that?”

David frowned. “Can you explain how magic works?”

“Good point,” Emma knew she was tired when she had been out-reasoned by a eleven-year-old shepherd.

“It’s a little silly,” David admitted. “But it always works. Every time.”

“I believe you,” said Emma, imagining Ruth imparting this “magic” to her son.

“So what else are you worried about?” David asked, getting back to the business at hand.

She named a few other things on her mind, then...“Um. I’m worried that Snow is still sad.”

“Poof!”

“I’m worried that…” she hesitated, unwilling to voice this particular worry.

“That’s all right,” David assured her. “Mama says when you get to a worry you can’t talk about, you just say ‘the unnamed worry’.”

“Okay. Un-named worry one.”

“Poof!”

“Un-named worry two.”

“Poof!”

“Un-named worry three.”

“Poof!”

Emma could feel herself steadily relaxing, her father’s earnest little “poofs” making her smile. Her eyes were heavy, and she found she couldn’t open them without great effort. She yawned. “What now?”

“I’ll sing you a lullaby,” said David with great confidence. Unlike Snow, David had a lovely voice. He didn’t sing a lot, but everyone in the household had caught him at least once. Snow…well. She could whistle well. Anything else was asking for trouble.

The song started softly, and became softer still at the end.

_The land is dark, and the night is still_

_The birds in their nest have ceased their trill_

 

_The cow’s in her pen, and the sheep are too_

_The wolf calls softly, but not to you_

_You are tucked abed, in the candle’s light_

_Safe and warm in your m-father’s sight_

_The sun is gone, and the moon is high_

_So good night, my darling, good night_

 

Emma could feel the drowsiness creep over her, but she was awake enough to feel a soft kiss brush her cheek, and David whisper. “Goodnight Emma. Dream sweetly.”


	9. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Little Snowing…because they’re really cute and needed some alone time.

The children played in the sparse green in front of the Sheriff’s station. They had wheedled permission after having to be within Emma’s line of sight for nearly two weeks. Snow had just finished her piano lesson and David had finished the last of his jobs for the day. Hauling boxes of files caused some heavy lifting, but David, who had carried wounded sheep and pulled them out of bogs, was strong enough for the job. Lazily, he gazed at his pretty playmate, who was dancing and spinning in the sunlight. He added another flower to the crown he was twisting in his hands, the thickness spanning nearly half his wrist. “Snow,” David called.

“Yes?” Snow stopped spinning for a moment, only to fall on her backside to the ground, giggling in delight.

“I have something for you.”

“Really?” Snow’s tone was curious. She walked over to him on unsteady legs and plopped down in front of him.

He pulled the crown from behind him to show her. Delicately, she raised it from his hands to study it from all angles. “It’s beautiful, Davey,” she said with great admiration. “You must have used every flower within sight!”

He ducked his head. “Every flower within the area we are permitted to be in,” he said with wry humor.  He took it back from her hands, nestling it on her head, “Princess,” he said, accenting the second syllable.

She nodded gracefully from her position on the ground, “My brave knight.”

David leaned back on his heels from his knelt position. “I wish I could be your knight,” his voice was filled with longing. “You have to have a title for that.”

Snow adjusted her crown slightly. “I could make you a knight,” she said.

“Truly?”

“Yes. Then you could live in my kingdom, and we could see one another every day,” said Snow with great relish.

David sighed. “It would be hard to leave my home, but it would be nice to see you so easily.”

“Just think Davey, I could get your mother work in the castle, nice gentle duties so she wouldn’t have to work so hard. You could live in the castle itself, and never, ever worry about having enough to eat,” Snow was thrilled at the thought of plying her friend with riches.

“What would your step-mother say of this?” said David with a small smirk.

Snow paused, tapping her check thoughtfully with her forefinger. “She’ll be agreeable,” her voice was uncertain.

“Indeed. You’re a terrible liar Snow. You shouldn’t try to do so at all,” laughed David.

“Says you! I’ve gotten farther then you, poor boy. You must crumble when your Mama questions you!”

“Oh really?” David’s eyes sparkled.

Snow laughed, standing, then pulling him to his feet. She led him to the corner of the building. “Over here.”

David balked. “Emma said we were to stay in the front yard,” he reminded her.

“This is the front yard,” she protested instantly, “It’s merely around the corner of it.”

“I think she wanted us to stay within sight of the windows,” said David uneasily, glancing around.

“If she wanted us to do that, then that’s what she should have said,” retorted Snow, her grip on his hand still tight.

“I thought that kind of thinking brought you trouble,” said David suspiciously, following her, his traitorous feet disobeying him.

“Just for a moment David,” pleaded Snow. “I don’t have any wish to get into trouble. Truly.”

He shook his head a little. “Snow,” he said warningly, trying to dig his heels in.

“David,” she said in the same voice, pulling him further. Her blue checked dress flapped slightly in the breeze.

David laughed a little. “Snow, I’ve never met a girl as…as…” he paused, scrunching his face.

“As what?” asked Snow daringly.

“As… _naughty_ as you,” David laughed.

Snow stopped abruptly and opened her mouth in mock affront, “David! What a thing to say to me. I’m a princess!”

He grinned, blinking his eyes in the sunlight. “All the girls I know of, especially nobles, are prim little girls who wouldn’t know how to run if they were being chased by trolls,” he leaned back to give her a smug grin.

“I have been chased by trolls,” Snow reminded him, flipping her hair scornfully. “And those girls sound dreadfully dull. You must not know many girls”

“I don’t,” said David, mirth  dancing in his  blue eyes, waiting for her predictable response.

“And why’s that?” She put her hands on her hips – daring him to continue.

“Because they’re dreadfully dull.”

This time, Snow’s giggles joined David’s. She took his hand again and tugged him further into the shadow of the building. “I just wanted to give you something too,” she said looking up at him, her eyes looking especially green.

“What’s that?” His eyes were round in innocence.

She leaned forward, pressing her lips softly against his. _She tasted like the strawberries they had eaten for a snack_ wasDavid’s first thought, as his eyes closed involuntarily. It was his first kiss. The warmth rushed to his face as Snow drew herself slowly back from him. Her heart was beating hard.  She had never wanted to kiss anyone as badly as she had wanted to kiss him when he had scrunched his face so adorably. They looked at one another, wide eyed. Their fingers entwined without thought.

“Snow…you,” he whispered, and then he bent his head forward to kiss her again. Snow felt a thrumming throughout her entire body, and she didn’t resist the urge to lift one small hand to stroke David’s cheek. When they pulled away from another again, David felt a little dizzy.

Neither of them heard footsteps crunching leaves, but they did hear an unfamiliar voice. “And what do we have here? Two little love birds?”

David tried to step in front of Snow, but her hand clenched his tightly as she stepped beside him. “We don’t know you,” she said clearly. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“It’s public property, little one. I have every right to be here,” he leered back.

David began pulling Snow towards the door to the sheriff station, “Leave us alone,” he said, trying not to let his unease show.

When they began edging around the corner, they saw another man blocking the door. “David,” breathed Snow quietly. He squeezed her hand again. It was a question. “Yes,” she whispered back.

“What?” asked the man suspiciously.

In an instant, Snow had whipped out her sling, already loaded with a rock. The rock hit him squarely in the jaw. He yelped, then bellowed as David propelled himself forward and aimed a kick at the edge of his knee, bringing the man down instantly. “Run!” yelled David.

Snow turned to see two more men coming from the direction of the sheriff’s station, so she began running in the opposite direction. David easily caught up with her and grabbed her hand, pulling her along at a faster rate. “Where shall we go?” she panted.

“We’re at the edge of the woods,” said David. “Let’s go there.” They ducked onto a heavily wooded path. They ran until Snow suddenly fell hard to the ground tripping in a hole. “Oh!” she said, somewhat breathless from her impact.

“Are you unharmed?” asked David, as he bent to pick her up.

Snow grimaced a little as she placed her left foot on the ground. “I believe so,” she said, unwilling to make him worry.

David hesitated, looking around the forest. Snow began tugging him eastwards. “Come this way,” she said. “I’m good at hiding.”

“Not really,” David argued. “I always find you. Every time.”

Snow scowled and little, and resisted the urge to stamp her foot. She didn’t enjoy losing at Hide n’ Seek. Then her eyes turned soft. “You’re the only one,” she said quietly, watching as a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Come _on_ ,” she tugged him harder as they moved eastward. Snow was limping heavily, but trying to conceal it. She paused when they came to a fallen log. She used her hands to clear some of the decaying bark, then began squeezing under to the hollowed out part below.

“Perhaps I should hide somewhere else,” David said, looking around. “There may not be enough room.”

Snow grabbed at his boot. “There is!  Get under here now!”

David squeezed under. There was very little room in the log. He put his arms around Snow to make more. This was beneficial in other ways too. “How long shall we stay here,” he whispered in her ear.

“As long as we can bear it,” Snow whispered back. “Did you know those men David?”

“No,” he shook his head decidedly.

“Nor did I,” said Snow, sighing and wincing a little as her foot twisted in an uncomfortable direction.

David began picking pieces of wood chips out of her hair. “How is your foot?” he asked anxiously.

“I think it will be fine,” she lied. “Were you harmed?”

“No,” he said.  They breathed quietly for several minutes. When they heard scuffling noise around them, they froze. They could hear muffled voices as well, but not much beyond that. Snow shivered a little, and David stroked her back soothingly. After hiding for what felt like hours, they were stiff from lack of movement and encrusted with wood chips and dirt.

David rolled out from under the log first, investigating their surroundings thoroughly until he called for Snow.  When Snow tried to stand, she yelped in pain. David gently eased her into a sitting position. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s my foot. Or my ankle, really,” said Snow, biting her lip from the pain.

David knelt and gently removed her shoe, “Oh Snow,” he said sympathetically.

Her ankle was swollen and some bruising was developing. “It’s fine,” she said bravely. “We need to leave before those men come back.”

“You cannot walk on that foot Snow!” said David.

“Shall,” said Snow, annoyed. “There’s no other choice.”

“Shan’t,” retorted David. “You’ll just hurt yourself worse.”

“Shall!”

“Shan’t!”

The children glared at one another. “You’re so stubborn, Snow,” said David in exasperation.

“No more so than you,” said Snow in the same tone.

“I’ll carry you on my back, like I do the sheep,” said David in a decisive tone.

“Oh, David. I’m so much bigger than a sheep,” said Snow, placing her hands on her hips.

“Not very much,” said David critically. “You’re just a _little_ girl Snow White.”

“Am not either,” said Snow, but with considerably less steam. She was tired and her ankle ached terrible.

“Let me at least try,” begged David. “If it’s too much, then I’ll stop.” Not waiting for her permission, he bent down, and grabbed her arms to wrap them around his neck as he balanced her on his back. “Just as I said,” he said coolly. “I can easily carry you.” He began navigating a path out of the woods.

“I hope we get home soon,” Snow’s voice was slightly anxious. “Emma’s going to be furious with us.”

David paused a moment, then soldiered on. “I don’t think we should tell Emma we were chased,” he said. “She’ll worry so…and never let us out of her sight again.”

Snow was silent a beat. “David, did you enjoy being grounded?” her voice was incredulous. “If we don’t tell Emma we were chased, she will think we disobeyed her. Not let us out of her sight? We’ll never leave the apartment again!”

David sighed in defeat. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Besides, my mother would have about a hundred fits about it. I would never hear the end of it. Ever.” They travelled in silence for a short time, then Snow spoke again. “I have a rule about getting into trouble.”

“Is it to get into as much as possible?” He felt a light swat to the top of his head.

“No, you ridiculous boy. It’s to never cause a lot of trouble within a fortnight. The memory of past trouble is too strong.”

“Hm,” David hummed thoughtfully. “Sounds like a good rule. Why do you break it so often?”

She swatted at him again. “I don’t usually get into this much trouble.”

“I think it’s just that you don’t get caught as much,” he said shrewdly, shifting her weight so it balanced more comfortably.

She patted his head, “Is there something you wish to know, David?” she asked matter-of-factly.

“Where did you learn to fight and shoot? I’ve never met a girl who could do so, and from what you’ve said, your parents wouldn’t have taught you,” his words rushed out in his eagerness.

Snow sounded pensive when she spoke. “I suppose I could tell you. “You’d have to swear not to tell…and we’d have to trade.”

“I don’t have anything,” said David carelessly.

“Secret for a secret,” said Snow, her own curiosity overcoming her as she bounced along. “You must tell me what you did to the nobles after you were whipped.”

David’s entire frame stiffened, “It would be foolish of me to do anything after that,” he said, trying to avoid the subject.

Snow tugged on him, to make him stop, and she slid to the ground, seating herself on a rock. “I know a great deal about you now David. You are brave, and kind and you fight for those you love.” Her green eyes fastened on his intensely. “You also have a temper and you hate injustice,” his eyes flickered and fell. “Please tell me Davey, I swear on my mother’s grave I will never tell a single, solitary soul.”

David took a breath, and nodded once. “I’ll take your deal and your promise,” he said. “You mustn’t even show that you have the faintest idea that you know. I would be in so much trouble,” he knelt down to look at her, touching her hand lightly as he did so.

“I swear.”

He turned again, so she could clamber on his back. “Who goes first, then?” he asked.

“I will,” said Snow easily. “When my mother died, I was so sad and so unhappy,” she began, her voice catching a little. “I was tired of sitting around, learning embroidery and having music lessons. It seemed quite useless. None of that helped me when my mother was ill.” The crunching of the leaves under David’s feet became a counterpoint to the story. “I watched some of the Pages’ training from my window. It was interesting. When I looked at them, and I realized that they weren’t much bigger then me. I tried watching them to figure out what to do, but it wasn’t enough. I could learn hardly a fingers-breadth of what I needed. I followed the training master, and begged him to take me. He was very polite, but refused utterly. So I watched him and his family, hoping I could find some way to make his change his mind. One day I saw his littlest son wandering, and before I could catch him, he fell into the river. I jumped in and was able to save him. He was crying and cold, but no more hurt then that.”

“You were very brave, Snow,” David interrupted.

Snow shrugged. “Not really, I mean, what other choice was there? Watch a baby drown? It happened to suddenly to call anyone. I was there. It was lucky. The weapons master…his name was Andrew, he thanked me when his wife told him about it later. He said he was beholden to me. I knew this was my only chance so I told him, he could teach me to fight. You should have seen his face fall, David.”

He could feel her grin, face pressed into his shoulder as it was. He shook his head a little, “No doubt.”

Andrew begged me to change my mind, but I was adamant. So…” she said, glossing over the weeks where her muscles ached and she had bruises covering her body, “He did.”

“For how long?” David asked as used his hand to move a tree branch out of his face.

“At least six months. At the end of the first, I had begun to feel badly, because I knew he had no wish to teach me, but he laughed and said I was his quickest learner,” Snow smiled at the memory, “And he lamented I was not a boy.”

“So why did you stop?” David ask, trying to ignore the faint ache in his muscles.

Snow ducked her head, her curls brushing against his neck. “My father caught me. He had been away, and I was still in the courtyard…jousting with some of the boys. He didn’t know it was me, at first, but he found out rather quickly. He was so rarely angry with me. I was a bit bruised, I suppose and looked rather like a beggar…my clothes were so muddy and torn. I got a terrible scolding and was punished. When he was calmer, I told him it wasn’t Andrew’s fault, so he didn’t get into very much trouble.”

“Did your father permit you to do training again?” David wondered, knowing the probable answer.

“No,” Snow’s smile was bittersweet. “He said he couldn’t bear the thought of my being hurt.”

David could hear the longing in her voice. Then he smiled. He knew her too. “How long did it take you to sneak away, and begin training once more?” He could practically see her biting her lip.

“Not terribly long,” the little girl’s voice was reluctant. “It grew much more difficult,  especially after Regina came to live with us…but I still managed to get away once and awhile.”

David couldn’t even pretend to be surprised. He whistled low. “You are a cunning one,” he said admiringly.

Snow laughed a little, “You don’t think less of me?”

David shook his head. “Hardly,” he scoffed.

“Let me down, David,” she said presently. “You need to rest for a moment. And you can tell me your story.”

“It isn’t a long one,” his brow furrowed, but he stopped and found a mossy area to set his precious cargo. He started to sit down, but a boldness welled up within him, and he lay his head in her lap.

Delighted, she stroked his blonde hair. “Now tell,” she commanded simply.

“You must understand, I was terribly angry at those boys for a long time, but I knew I could do nothing about it. Not right away anyway. But I’m a shepherd Snow, and I know how to be very patient, even when I don’t like to be,” he looked up at her, to see if she understood. She nodded. “So many things happened in between,” his voice grew low and he closed his eyes. “Amma died. Papa died. Then it was just Mama and me.” This time, Snow dropped a small kiss on his forehead in sympathy. He smiled and opened his eyes. “I didn’t forget those boys though. Mama wouldn’t have liked it. She’d have said what’s done was done. But _I_ minded it. They made her cry. They made Amma cry. They deserved a punishment for that.”

“And for you too, David,” Snow said gravely. “They deserved it because what they did to you wasn’t right.”

David shrugged a little. “That’s different Snow. It’s different when it’s yourself. I just wanted some justice for Mama and Amma.”

Snow knew more discussion was pointless, so she nodded. “Continue.”

“It was several years after. I’d hear tales of them. You know how it is, servants talk,” he folded his arms against his chest.

Snow wrinkled her nose, she did indeed, know this. “Yes.”

“I heard they were going on a hunt. They were looking for a golden stag.” Snow looked at him curiously. “It’s rumored to be in a very specific part of the forest. I knew that area, and it wasn’t far from my home. When I learned of the days they were to be there, I asked  if Charlie would watch over my sheep, and to bring them home if I didn’t meet him by sundown. I went to a neighbor’s house, and asked if I could borrow his horse. I told him I would trade for three days labor. He agreed. It was a good deal. I got everything in place and on the day of my revenge…I took it.”

“But  want to hear the whole story,” protested Snow. “I’ve told you all of mine!”

David sighed. “When I went into the forest, I found some of the stag’s trails, and I set traps upon them. I knew the boys would be so excited about finding the trails that they would be careless. Besides, most humans aren’t as smart about traps and animals.”

“What kinds of traps?” asked Snow with great interest.

“Nets, a pit. I’m good with traps,” he bragged slightly. “You never know when you might need them to trap a wolf or fox that is after the sheep.”

“You caught them then?” Snow asked.

David’s grin answered her. “Not for ever so long. I thought I might have to do it all again, but then…snap!” He waved his arms about, the glee in his face unmistakable.

“What did you do to them?” asked Snow, leaning into him a little in anticipation.

His grin dimmed slightly, and he began speaking more slowly. “You’ve heard of Ettins, haven’t you?”

Snow’s face wrinkled in disgust. “Of course. But you didn’t feed the boys to the Ettins, did you?”

“No,” David seemed slightly affronted. “But you see, they have a musk that is so bad, that it makes a person vomit, just to be around it.”

“How would you go about getting that?” asked Snow, her voice becoming suspicious.

Now David was speaking so slowly it was like the words were being torn from him. “Nearly a year before…there was an old woman…who lived on the edge of the forest...and she had some…potions.”

Snow straightened and shoved his head off her lap, “David! Did you consult a witch?”

“Nooo,” his voice was reluctant, “At least I don’t think so.”

“Are you mad?” asked Snow incredulously. “What did you think would happen if you went cavorting around with witches?”

“You should speak!” said David, his feathers ruffled. “Your step-mother is a witch.”

“She isn’t!” Snow protested immediately. “I told you, she’s magic.”

“And so could Dreda have been,” said David stubbornly.

Snow put her hands on her hips. “You could have been hurt. Or turned into a frog!”

“It’s not fair of you to scold me,” said David scowling. “I didn’t do so to you, when you told me your story,” he began moving away stiffly.

“Oh David,” said Snow, reaching out to grab his hand. “Don’t leave.” She pulled him back to the ground beside her. “It just worried me so, to think of you being so close to someone who might have hurt you.”

“She didn’t,” said David, slightly mollified. “I cut wood and fixed her well. If she were a witch, would she have needed me for that?” he appealed to her.

“I suppose not,” said Snow. “So she had…” she nose wrinkled again, “Ettin musk?”

David nodded. “Yes, only a small flask, but that it all that I needed.”

“What did you do with it?”

“I was wearing a cloak, so my features were hidden. When I got close to them, I threw it upon them. Both of them. Then I left,” David shrugged casually.

“But what happened to them?”

“I heard that some of their servants went looking for them. They weren’t found for a day. I heard all kinds of stories later. Seems that they tried every sort of trick to get the smell off. It didn’t work. Anyone downwind of them, would vomit continuously until they left. They had to live apart for the rest of their families. They couldn’t be with their friends. The best part?” David asked, teeth flashing with his grin, “The musk didn’t wear off for months. Bards and troubadours made up songs about them. They were laughed at by the entire kingdom.”

Snow laughed, then covered the rest of the giggles with her hand. “When you want to humiliate someone, you spare nothing!” her voice was admiring. “And your mother never found out?”

David ducked his head a little, “I was late coming home. It was quite dark before I made it, so of course I was in trouble.” He hesitated a little, frowning. “Big trouble. But I don’t think she suspected. The boys said later they were attacked by an imp,” he smirked a little.

Snow leaned back a little to look at him, then patted his cheek. “If I’m ever to be at war, I want you on my side,” she said firmly.

He grinned, momentary pensiveness gone, “I would take up a sword for you,” he said. “You needn’t even ask.”

He leaned forward, boldly going in for another kiss when a shout broke the silence. “David! Snow!”

“It’s Emma,” said Snow, sitting up quickly enough to nearly hit his chin. “We had better meet her.”

David bent once again, and felt her arms latch around his neck. He started towards Emma’s voice. “Thank you for telling me,” Snow’s voice was soft. “I’m glad you tricked them. They deserved it.”

David nodded, feeling conflicted now that his story had been told. “What’s wrong?” asked Snow, feeling the tension in his body.

“It’s my mother,” admitted David. “When I was very little, I told her once that I wished I had buckets of gold to buy her anything she would ever want. She said,” he faltered slightly. “She said all she ever wanted was for me to be a good boy…that would grow to be a good man. She said it would be better than any treasure.”

“You are a good boy,” Snow’s voice rang with utter truth. “Being good shouldn’t mean you let someone get away with treating you do badly,” her voice was nearly as thoughtful as his had been.

“Snow – David!” Emma appeared breathlessly in their path. “Where were you? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” the questions rushed out of her.

David lowered Snow to the ground to she could stand gingerly on her good leg. “We’re fine Emma,” he began.

“You’re fine! I’m going to kill you guys!” Emma said with some intent. The children looked completely bedraggled. Snow’s hair was knotted with wood chips and her ankle looked enormous. David’s clothes were torn and both their clothes were covered in dirt.

When both children’s widened in anxiousness, Emma took a breath and tried to calm down. “Where in the hell were you? I told you, very specifically, that you weren’t to leave the front yard. Does this look like the front yard?” her arms waved to encompass the forest.

Automatically the children reached for one another’s hands. Suddenly Regina came plunging up to them with a scowl so large that Snow immediately stepped backwards, unfortunately on her wounded ankle. She winced and held a hand out in supplication. “We didn’t mean too,” she said hurriedly, looking at Regina and Emma. “Some evil men chased us. We needed to get away so we ran to the forest,” her voice trailed off.

“It’s true,” said David quietly. “Three men we haven’t seen before,” he frowned. “They seemed to know us though.”

Regina and Emma traded significant glances. “Can you tell if that’s right?” asked Emma quietly.

“I’m not Miss Lucas,” Regina snapped impatiently. “If you want that kind of information, you’ll have to ask her.”

“She’s up on the far north side of town. In the mines or something,” Emma sighed. “I tried to call her earlier when I couldn’t find the kids. No answer.”

Regina shrugged impatiently, reaching for Snow. Snow flinched back slightly, but Regina grabbed her chin in her hand. “Are you telling the truth?” she demanded.

“Yes,” whispered Snow immediately.

“What happened to your ankle?” asked Regina, releasing her chin to bend down.

“I fell,” said Snow quietly.

Regina probed it gently, “That’s what happens when you run willy-nilly into danger,” she snapped.

“Apparently, they didn’t mean to Regina,” said Emma with a scowl and shoving her to the side to also examine Snow’s ankle.

“Well it’s truly amazing how much trouble manages to find them,” Regina blustered.

“You’re telling me,” said Emma, rolling her eyes. She picked up Snow, then frowned as she shifted her weight. “How far did you carry her?” she asked David.

He shrugged once more. “Not sure. Wasn’t difficult though.”

Emma looked at him, then her mother, and for the first time that night her eyes softened. “Yeah. Okay. Let’s get you two home.”


	10. Fathers

Ch. 10: Fathers

_Just a few more chapters to go. Thanks for the reviews!_

 

David looked longingly at the window and sighed heavily as he smacked his hand against the window pane. Emma tried not to feel badly but it was difficult; it was about the three hundredth time he had done that. ”We’ll go out soon David,” she assured him. “I just need to get a little more done here. Snow’s almost done with her drawing lesson,” she gestured to the small room where Snow and her art teacher were sequestered.

The little boy nodded. “I know,” he sighed again.

Emma rolled her eyes, “Can you knock that off please? You’re gonna start a tornado here or something, and I’m not in the mood to be whisked off to Oz today.”

David turned to her, puzzlement on his face and a question on his lips. “W-.”

She waved an arm at him. “Never mind. Forget what I said.” In an effort to distract him she said, “Who were you thinking about?”

“How did you know that I was thinking about someone?” he asked, sliding his fingertips across the window aimlessly.

“Just can.” It was the same soft look, grown-up David wore when he looked at Snow, or Henry…or her.

“I was thinking about Amma and my papa. They would have liked this kind of day,” he looked at the falling leaves, spread out in alternating patterns on the lawn.

“Yeah? They liked the leaves?” Emma guessed, finding it strange that she knew so little about her grandfather and aunt.

“Yes,” said David. “Amma liked collecting the leaves, because of all the pretty colors. She even could name them, even though many babies aren’t able to do so. She tried to keep them all, but Mama made her throw them out. Amma would pout a little, then she’d collect more when she was with Papa.” He shook his head a little, “Papa indulged her.”

“He didn’t spoil you?” Emma wondered if he had ever felt jealous.

David shook his head. “Of course not. I’m a boy.”

“And?” It was always interesting to hear what he believed. Unlike adult David, he wouldn’t try to couch his feelings or beliefs in more politically correct 21st century thinking. It felt more real, and Emma suspected, was closer to what David actually believed.

“Men must be gentle to their wives and kind to their little girls. Otherwise, when the girl grows up, she might find a husband who is mean to her,” he looked at her with that small-boy hesitancy. “That what happened to my Auntie. She died when I was very small. My Papa cried.” He looked at his hands for a moment, then back at her. “A man should never, ever hit his wife or little girl.”

David’s face was a picture of seriousness, and Emma couldn’t even try to joke about men maybe changing their mind when some girl dropped on their carriage, stole their jewels, and knocked  them across the face with a rock. She closed her eyes, thinking of the various foster fathers she had lived with. Men who might give a subtle shove or pinch, not to mention an outright slap. She hadn’t ever had the luxury of feeling protected by someone like that. It was closest with Neal, but that childish sense of complete safety, had been forever lost to her.

“Are you unwell, Emma?” asked David softly. She opened her eyes to find his matching ones focused worriedly on her face.

“I’m fine David,” she lied. “I’m just  thinking about what an amazing father you’ll be someday.”

“Truly?” Like Snow, he seemed ridiculously pleased that the idea that he would be a good parent. He beamed at her.

“Yes,” said Emma,  realizing for the millionth time what the curse had cost her.

“When I have a son,” said David seriously, bouncing a little now as he spoke, “I’ll teach him how to ride, and shoot a bow, and take care of sheep, and how to set traps and everything.”

“What if you have a daughter?” Emma teased. Snow had told her he thought she would be a boy, and she knew the Enchanted Forest being what it was, she was sure he had always wanted a son.

“Oh, I’ll have a daughter,” said David with calm assurance.

“Yeah?” His easy affirmation made Emma grin, as if he had complete control and things would just happen the way he wanted.

“Of course, but I must have a son first. It will be his job to protect her. He’ll be her big brother.”

“Maybe he won’t need to protect her,” said Emma, amused at the little boy’s notions of chivalry despite herself.

“He has too!” he insisted gravely. Girls are important. More important than boys.”

“Why?” asked Henry skeptically, walking in with Regina. The women had decided that it wasn’t safe for any of the children to be alone. The look on his face was a mixture of fascination and trepidation. He had reached the age where he was definitely interested in girls, but was also a little intimidated by them, at least when it came to asking them out.

David folded his arms and gave him a severe look. “Women have the babies. If we didn’t have women, we wouldn’t have babies.”

“If we didn’t have men, we also wouldn’t have babies,” Emma reminded him with a smirk, wondering if the Enchanted Forest form of “The Talk” was missing some serious information.

David was too polite to roll his eyes, but it was a near thing. “I know that. But women are the ones who are pregnant. That’s why on a farm you only need one or two male animals but lots of female animals. Girls are more important than boys.”

Emma didn’t know whether to smile at his logic, or be concerned that he had just  told her son he wasn’t as important as females. Regina rolled her eyes and went to check on Snow’s progress. Henry pulled David to one of the cells to grill him about something…or maybe to seek dating advice. Before Emma could be concerned about that, a slim man, slightly balding and wearing a neat, gray suit, tapped on the door.

“Sherriff Swan?” he enquired politely.

“Yeah?” Emma was thankful for the break. She stood brushing her hands lightly across her pants as she did so.

“The school sent me over. I’m the tutor, Allen Reynolds,” he said blandly, as he held out his hand.

Emma took it as a frown creased her forehead, “No, actually I asked for a list of tutors from the school. Then I’m doing some background checks and interviews from there.”

The man’s teeth flashed as he smiled, “There must have been a misunderstanding then.”

“You have references? Paperwork?” Emma demanded warily

“Of course,” he strode over when she indicated one of the desks, and opened his briefcase. “Here,” he said, handing her a neat stack of papers.

She looked through them quickly. “Okay. Thanks Allen. I’ll get back to you when I talk to some of these people and have time to read this in more detail.”

Another smile, “Of course. May I meet the boy? I have heard wonderful things about him.”

“No,” said Emma bluntly. “I check you out first, then you meet the kid. That’s how it goes.”

The man’s smile faded slightly. “It’s such a shame that the circumstances have caused such suspicion and anxiety. Miss Stanton told me that you had cause for concern.”

Daisy Stanton was the administrative assistant at the school and very attached to Snow, David, and Henry. The kingdom she had come from was quite far from Emma’s parents, so she knew very little about them. But she had known Mary Margaret and had admired David ever since he had rescued her cat, Gato from a piece of bailing wire. She was loyal to the children and had helped Emma several times by navigating the convoluted process of elementary school issues.

“Yeah,” said Emma relaxing minutely but still alert, “It’s not good for any of us.” She looked him over, curious. “Who were you back in the Enchanted Forest?”

“I was also a tutor there,” he said. “That is one of the reasons the school thought I would be a good fit for David. I can teach him the things he needs to know in Storybrooke, and also what he needs to know in the Enchanted Forest.”

That actually wasn’t a bad idea. Still. “Like I said, I need to do some background checks on you and the others. I’ll meet with you again in a couple of days.”

The man inclined his head in agreement, “Indeed. Well then, I will bid you good day. Please call me if you have any questions.”

“I will. Thanks.”

Regina appeared from the backroom, a frown on her face. “Who was that?” she asked.

“Possible tutor for David,” Emma replied. “We’ll see.”

Regina frowned in thought. “He seems familiar to me.”

“That can’t be good,” Emma said without thinking.

The former queen rolled her eyes expressively, “What charming manners, Sherriff,” she said. “If you could, please try not to pass on your uncouth behavior to my son.” Emma opened her mouth to retort but Regina stopped her before she began. “Snow’s drawing technique is suffering terribly. Make sure she practices every night, especially shadowing.”

Emma was trying to think of a good analogy about shadows, hearts, and nefarious deeds but before she could speak, Regina had swept out of the station. Emma sighed, “I really hate when she does that.”

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Emma received the full list of tutors from Daisy later that evening. The other woman apologized for sending Allen over without talking to Emma first.

“He just seemed like such a good _fit_ ,” she said.

Emma told her it was okay, but to please check with her before doing that again. She then began the arduous task of researching each dossier and calling references. When she had finished that, she talked to neighbors and other people the prospective tutors came into contact with. Mr. Reynolds was definitely one of the top five. She scheduled interviews with those individuals. She would also let them meet with David, to make sure they clicked.

On Saturday, she brought the children to the station again. David was talkative and engaging with everyone, which was completely expected. Allen Reynolds had the fourth appointment. She sent David to play with Snow and Henry as she got the preliminary aspects of the interview over with. Allen was intelligent, if a bit stilted in manner. He said his passion was the history of their realm. He was able to answer every question without hesitation. He played cards with Happy every month. In typical fashion, Happy was enthusiastic about Allan, but didn’t have much to say about him other than he was a good card player. Allan even had references written by some of his former students, all of whom said he was a great teacher who made learning easy. Emma grudgingly admitted that he seemed to be a good fit. There was just something that niggled at her. She called David over to meet him. David trotted over, amiable as always and offered his best, bright grin, and a hand to shake.

“Hello David,” said Allen gently, “I’ve so been looking forward to meeting you,” he clasped the boy’s hand firmly, but not too hard.

Emma felt that strange sensation again. The way he was looking at David was too avid. Too eager. She grabbed David’s other hand and pulled him away abruptly. “I changed my mind. I don’t want you here,” she said bluntly.

The man’s smile shifted slightly, but his eyes narrowed, “May I ask why?”

“There’s something you aren’t telling me, and I don’t trust you,” by this time Emma had managed to shove David behind her back but she could feel his muscles tense in response to her own apprehension.

Allen straightened, nodding. “Perhaps it is better this way then. I will, as they say, lay my cards on the table. King George wants David back.”

“David, go and stay with Snow and Henry,” Emma’s voice was rough. “Now.” David didn’t bother to protest, but she could see the puzzlement and worry in his eyes. She stepped closer to Allen. “King George can go to hell,” she said quietly but with great venom, “And so can you. David’s not going anywhere.”

Allen still seemed perfectly calm, “Come now, Sheriff Swan, there’s no need for anger. King George took care of David once.” Emma opened to mouth to list all of the ways George had certainly **not** had David’s best interests in mind, but Allen waved a hand. “You must understand, Sheriff. King George was devastated when he lost James. Simply devastated. He loved the boy above anything else. Losing him, then having a Doppelganger in David…alike in appearance but different in so many ways.

“Yeah. My dad’s actually a good guy,” Emma said, hands clenching in irritation. She didn’t want to hear George’s sob story.

The man shook his head, “James was high-spirited. He didn’t understand why he had to learn or do things unless he had a reason, but once he did, he was a force of nature. Unstoppable. And he adored his father. He couldn’t wait to grow up and be like him.” Allen smiled widely, “In that way, he was very much like David. Eager to be of use.”

Emma felt her heart twist a little.  She could see where this was going. “So?” she said, trying to sound like she didn’t.

“King George realized he had made a mistake. When he met David, he was a man. Certain behaviors, attitudes, and expectations were already ingrained in him. I was able to teach him the knowledge he needed to sound like a prince, but I couldn’t change his basic character,” Allen looked at her, eyebrow raised as she stood stiffly.

“So he thought he’d get a do-over with my father?” Emma said, hating that her voice trembled slightly, even though it was fury that made it so.

“David is still very young, but he’s also not an infant who needs constant care. King George waited and observed David, to risk disappointment again would have been too much to bear.”

“And?” Emma asked.

That same insouciant smile. “He’s happy to see that David’s such an agreeable child. And please understand Sheriff, he has not been idle. We have several hundred soldiers, not to mention loyal members of his kingdom who are willing to  fight to get David back to the king.”

Emma scoffed in disbelief, “Really?”

At this his smile dropped, “Your parents might have told you stories that condemn our king, but believe me, he is a good ruler who cares deeply for his subjects.”

“Oh, you mean the same guy who started a war with my parents, just because my dad refused to be forced into marriage?”

“I mean a man who sacrificed his son so he could bring wealth and prosperity to his kingdom,” Allen spat back.

Emma thought quickly. This wasn’t good. Allen wasn’t a mindless drone, spouting a philosophy he had no belief in. This was someone who was willing to die for his cause. “So you just want me to hand over David, is that it?”

“Yes,” said Allen simply. “We will leave you alone, we will leave the children alone, we will leave your friends alone. We will have our part of Storybrooke, you can have the others.”

“This isn’t the Enchanted Forest,” Emma said grimly. “There aren’t kingdoms here.”

“There will be,” said Allen calmly. “We are done pretending to be of this world. We may have memories of this place, but it isn’t ours. If this is to be our home, we will take it under our terms.”

Emma’s thoughts spun a little at this declaration. What would this lead too? She licked her lips, “You can’t have David,” she said, trying for a firm tone.

“We will _take_ David, if you do not give him to us. Then we will kill your son and your mother and anyone who tries to stop us.”

“I have magic,” said Emma tremulously, the thought of her son and mother dying making her feel weak.

“From what I understand, it’s rather unpredictable,” said Allen with a taunting look. He turned to leave.

Emma reached for her gun. “I don’t think so,” her voice was deadly serious now. “You threatened me and the safety of Storybrooke. You’re going to jail.”

Allen turned back, his hands raised slightly, a mocking smile on his face. “Is that what you think?” he asked. He mumbled something under his breath, and cut his arms in a quick, downward motion. In a puff of green smoke, he vanished.

Emma took a deep breath. She turned around to find Snow, David and Henry, peeking from behind the wall. Snow’s hands were clenched around her sling and David was holding a sharp, eight inch knife. Henry, was holding the book, tense with anxiety. “What did you guys hear?” she asked heavily.

“A king wants to take me,” David’s nose wrinkled, “Why?”

“Because he’s bad,” said Emma shortly, unwilling to get into the convoluted story that included secret twins, Rumpelstiltskin, and a sham marriage.

Snow and David exchanged glances, then Snow spoke quietly. “What are we going to do?”

“See someone,” said Emma grimly, nodding at her son who was rapidly trying to find something in his book. “C’mon.”

Rumpelstiltskin’s shop was always the same. The tinkling of bells heralded their arrival. “My goodness,” said Mr. Gold. “What do I owe the pleasure of having the little Charming family in my shop?” His incredulousness belied the fact that he had been keeping close tabs on the family since the spell had been cast.

“We need help,” said Emma, not bothering with formalities. Rumple would do his usually song and dance. She’d deliver some well-placed quips, then their business would be done. “I thought you said you couldn’t turn them back?”

“Can’t,” Rumple’s reply was frustratingly succinct.

“But George caused this. With magic,” said Emma in frustration. “That means there has to be some way to break it…some way that things can change.”

“No can do,” said Rumple cheerfully. “George may have put it into motion, but it’s nothing I can change.”

Emma scowled, sure he was lying, or at least not doing the whole truth. “He’s after David,” she said, gesturing to the little boy who, with Henry, was gazing admiringly at the swords on display. “He wants to take him.”

“How very predictable,” said Mr. Gold with a bored expression. “That man doesn’t have an ounce of imagination.”

“I don’t know,” said Emma in irritation. “Making my parents into kids again is pretty unique.”

Rumple waved his hand in an inconsequential gesture. “What do you want, dearie?”

“I need some kind of protection spell or something for David. So George can’t take him. And I need to make sure Snow and Henry don’t get hurt either,” said Emma quickly.

“And I would do this, why?” asked Rumple.

“Because Henry’s your grandson. Because my parents have helped you,” Emma said.

“Your parents have made deals with me,” Rumple corrected, “And in those deals, there has been an exchange of goods or services. What are you offering?”

“What do you want?” asked Emma. “Another favor? I can do that.”

Rumpelstiltskin shook his head. “No. Nothing like that.” He looked to the children, “David?” he called.

David trotted up to them immediately, “Yes sir?” he asked politely.

“How would you like to help me, do some work for me?” asked Mr. Gold pleasantly.

“Oh no. No way, Gold,” said Emma unequivocally.

He ignored her, smiling instead at the little boy. “You know, I was once a spinner. We worked very closely with shepherds.”

“You were?” David looked surprised.

 “Indeed. In fact, some of my good friends were shepherds. We played games and made up contests with our dogs.”

David smiled, “I do that too, with my friends. None of them are spinners though. The ones we take our wool too are quite old…and they’re women,” he finished apologetically, as if concerned he would hurt Rumple’s feelings.

The imp laughed, “Indeed. They usually are,” he affirmed. “I bet you know how to card wool, don’t you  David? That would be a big help to me.”

Emma shoved her way in between them, “It’s not happening Gold, so pick something else.”

David poked his head around her, “Why can’t I help, Emma? I’m good at helping.”

Emma gave him a ferocious look as she turned on him. “I know you’re good at helping. I don’t want you to help him. He’s…He’s,” she looked at Mr. Gold, scowling as the man smiled blithely. “He’s tricky,” she amended, making her language more child-friendly then her thoughts.

David’s frown matched hers and Rumpelstiltskin resisted the urge to cackle and point it out. “I won’t be tricked Emma. I swear. Please let me help him. Then he’ll help us…and you won’t be so worried.”

“I’m not worried,” Emma denied instantly, her voice raised. “I’m slightly concerned, that’s all.”

David’s frown deepened, “You look like you’re really worried. You yelled at Mr. Reynolds.”

Mr. Gold’s eyebrows twitched upward, “Do you mean to say you’ve already encountered some of King George’s delusional followers, have you?” he asked archly.

Emma’s mouth twitched, “David, wait by the door with Snow,” she said.

The boy nodded reluctantly, giving a backwards glance at she and Gold. Emma leaned closer, “I am not fooling around with you Gold. David, Snow, and Henry are off the table. What do you want?”

“Not a thing,” the imp said blandly. “If you cannot give me what I am asking for, we don’t have a deal.”

“He’s not Neal!” said Emma in a low voice, her fists clenched in anger. “Just because David reminds you of Bae, doesn’t mean you get a part of him!”

Rumpelstiltskin leaned back, a dark look in his eyes, “Good day, Sheriff,” his voice was as innocuous as always. “Let me know if you change your mind about our deal.”

“Not gonna happen,” snapped Emma. She swept out the door with the children herded protectively in front of her.

When the door clanged shut, Mr. Gold smiled.


	11. Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews and kudos.

 

It took less then an hour for Emma to break down and ask Regina for help. After that Regina was too busy scowling to have any immediate suggestions. “George planned a coup, without me?”

“Maybe you missed the notice in your last _Supervillains Monthly_ ,” suggested Emma.

Regina glared at her. “As usual, George is leaping around without any real thought to his plans. If it wasn’t for me, he wouldn’t have had any success in battles.”

“Didn’t my parents beat you?” needled Emma. If she was going to force herself to ask for Regina for help, she might as well get some enjoyment out of the process.

The other woman gave her the kind of look that would freeze molten lava, “There were exigent circumstances,” she snapped.

“Right,” Emma rolled her eyes. “So are you going to help me, or not?” Emma crossed her arms as she stood in the bright lights of the apartment’s kitchen.

“I haven’t decided,” Regina snapped, with a proprietary hold on the container she had brought with her.

“You know, this puts Henry in the line of fire too, right? George threatened all of them.” Emma wanted to point out that Regina had pretty much already agreed to this but she also knew arguing was their default response to one another.

“Which gives me a good reason to simply take  Henry and disappear,” Regina shot back.

“Like he’d stay with you if you did that,” Emma scoffed.

“I might not give him a choice,” said Regina in ominous tones, her fist clenching involuntarily.

Emma stood practically nose to nose with the other woman, “Then you’d really lose him,” she said quietly.

Some of the intensity died in Regina’s eyes. “I know, which is why I haven’t done so. Yet,” she finished, so as not to sound weak.

Emma nodded grudgingly. She knew that was true, and she knew how hard it was for Regina to admit. “So…” she asked leadingly.

“I will help you,” sighed Regina.

“Good,” Emma was relieved despite herself. The thought of King George’s army, as pathetic as Regina thought they would be, worried her. “Just think, you can piss off Rumpelstiltskin at the same time,” she said, her voice encouraging.

Regina pursed her lips. “I don’t know why the Imp is a part of this, but I don’t like it.”

“That’s been nagging at me too,” Emma admitted with a shrug. “You’re sure he hasn’t let anything slip to you?”

“Rumple and I are hardly on the same side, Miss Swan. If you’ll remember, he has manipulated me as much as anyone. More really,” she said in a low voice.

Emma bit her tongue. That point could certainly be argued. But then, she had been reading Henry’s book more and more and decided there was nothing so far that didn’t have Rumpelstiltskin’s fingerprints on it. “Well let’s try to get ahead of him then,” she said optimistically. That wasn’t really in her nature, but with her parents gone she felt the need to fill in. A little. As irritating as their optimism could be, it did serve a function.

“Very well. We’ll start by putting a protection spell around the children,” Regina began rummaging through the large container she had brought to the apartment after Emma had called. “I would prefer to charm the children themselves, but that won’t always work. I brought necklaces that they can wear.” Dangling from her hands were two small medallions.

“What about David?” sighed Emma, closing her eyes as she realized every part of this process was going to have a price.

Regina pursed her lips, and frowned, looking at the children who were spread out in the living room. “Oh. Right. I suppose so.”

“Henry,” called Emma quickly, before she said anything that would cause more friction, “C’mon over here. We’re going to try something.”

“Something that will help Snow and David?” asked Henry eagerly as he trotted over. He desperately wanted to help his grandparents.

“Yes,” said Regina, muttering an incantation over the medallion and sprinkling it with a sky blue powder. “I made this after Emma and I spoke. It should protect you from being harmed, ideally it would protect you from being taken as well, but that doesn’t always work.”

“How come?” asked Henry.

“The spell needs to have a sense of danger. It’s difficult if someone is snatched before they realize the danger. Or…” she began.

“Or what?” asked Emma.

“Or if the danger is coming from a loved one, especially if it hasn’t happened before,” Regina admitted.

“No one here loves George,” said Emma firmly. “That won’t be a problem.”

Regina nodded stiffly, then loosened a little when she turned back to her son. “I need to prick your hand, just a little bit.” She assured him. “We need to have some of your blood on the medallion.”

Henry nodded seriously. “Okay.”

When Regina deemed it ready, she gently lowered the necklace over his head. “Now we need to test it,” she said, looking up at Emma.

Emma nodded, she had been ready for this, ever since she and Regina had discussed it over the phone. She made a call, then sent Henry to play as Regina began preparation of the next medallion. “I really hope this works,” said Emma softly.

The dark-haired woman looked at her, “It will,” she said.

Emma nodded, looking at the children. Regina followed her gaze, then frowned. “They’re plotting something,” she said, her hands still busy with the potion.

“What? What do you mean? They’re doing the same thing they’ve been doing all afternoon.”

“Snow has that look on her face,” Regina said, darting another glance at the children as she began to pour the mixture.

“What look?”

“Her _scheming_ look. I’ve seen that look a lot over the last half century. Your mother would be a terrible poker player.”

Emma looked over, recognizing what Regina meant but unnerved all over that Regina could tell that, just by looking at Snow’s face. “I wouldn’t know,” she said, “I haven’t known her as long as you have,” it was meant to be cutting, but Emma was lying about not being able to read her mother. She had spent a great deal of time studying her parents’ faces, both when they were adults and as children. She’d always been interested in the nature vs. nurture discussions and articles, being as her nurturing had been done entirely by strangers and paid caregivers. Although she was different from her parents, in many, many ways, she admitted to herself when she saw the crinkle in David’s forehead, or her mother’s smile, that it made her breath catch. It was identical to her. Even the way they stood or used their hands. How was that possible? She’d never known them enough to emulate them, but there it was. And it happened all of the time. Regina didn’t answer, but she did roll her eyes.

When they tested the medallion’s effectiveness on Henry, it worked perfectly. Unfortunately, when they tried it on Snow, then David, it didn’t.

Regina frowned in concentration, as she ran her fingers over their medallions. “That’s strange,” she muttered.

“Why isn’t it working?” Emma asked.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Regina. “It might have something to do with the spell that reduced them to children.”

“How can it do that?” Magic was still very new to Emma, and she wasn’t terribly confident or comfortable with it.

“I don’t know,” snapped Regina impatiently. “Magic isn’t exacting, like mathematics. There are all sorts of exceptions and minor details that can throw things off.”

Emma made a sound of frustration as she slapped her open hand against the counter. The children looked up immediately and she tried to give them a weak smile. It didn’t work. “I need some air,” she muttered more to herself then Regina, then darted out onto the fire escape. She blinked in the bright sunshine, fading into sunset as she stared at the street below. There was an ominous feeling in the air and even if she didn’t have much belief in her magic, she had a lot of belief in her instinct. Something was going to happen. She began reconsidering the idea about taking all of the children past the rebuilt border of the town.  David and Snow no longer had curse memories so would it really harm them to leave? Or would it deny them from ever having the spell broken? Emma massaged her forehead.

“Mom?” Henry poked his head through the window.

“Yeah, kid?” she asked, still staring at the street.

“Is there something we can do to help?”

She turned to face him, “I don’t think so kid. Not right now. Regina and I are trying to figure things out.”

“But it’s not working,” the nervousness in Henry’s voice was telling. “How are we going to protect Gramma and Grampa if the spell’s not working?”

Emma closed her eyes, “I don’t know that yet, Henry. We’ll figure something out.” She bit her lip as she realized she was repeating herself.

“You should let us help,” Henry suggested, trying not to make it come out as a whine. “I think we could think of some things you guys haven’t thought of.”

“Yeah, okay kid. Get Snow and David and bring them over.” It would probably annoy Regina but maybe Henry was right. Maybe they could come up a solution. When she gave the street one last look, she saw a large group of people coming towards them. She pushed down her fear. “Regina!!”

 

xoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Regina’s frown was rapidly coalescing into a concerned look as she waved her hands and nothing happened. “Something’s blocking me,” she said to Emma, who had gathered the children to the back of the apartment and hauled both her gun and sword out.

Emma looked worriedly at the children. “Could you take Henry at least?”

“I don’t want to leave!” protested Henry instantly.

“I can’t,” Regina’s teeth were gritted. “Not right now.”

They could hear the noise of fighting and Emma closed her eyes. Ruby, Granny, the dwarves and a few other who’d volunteered weren’t going to be enough protection. They hadn’t had time to raise the army that George had. At that moment, the door broke open. Regina moved quickly toward the children, blocking them as Emma was.

Behind a man that Emma recognized as a former dock worker, Albert Spencer walked forward. His smile was calm, betraying no irritation or concern.  “I’m sorry for the mess downstairs,” he said lightly. “We had a bit of trouble getting here.”

Visions of what “the mess” could consist of made Emma feel slightly ill, “Get out of here George,” she snapped at him.

George smiled, “That is exactly what I plan to do,” he assured her, “Once I have my son.”

“He’s n-”

“David?” interrupted George pleasantly. “Come here please,” ranks of large men holding both modern and medieval era weapons began filling the apartment.

David poked out from behind Emma, his small indrawn breath indicated he had seen what Emma had seen, even as she tried to push him back behind her. Red, only in wolf form was chained tightly, bleeding from several wounds.

Henry whimpered a little, “Ruby…”

A small woman, clad simply yet elegantly stepped from behind the ring of men. With a small wave of her hand, David was propelled forward, easily evading the grab Emma made at him.

“Ah, there he is,” George smiled at the little boy who met his eyes daringly. “Are you scared, boy?”

“No,” David’s voice was quiet but firm. Emma tried to move forward, but the sword pointed at the wolf’s neck, and the gun pointed in their direction, made her pause.

“That’s good. That’s very good,” praised George. “Because you shouldn’t be afraid of me David. I wouldn’t hurt you. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I needed to see you. Emma wouldn’t allow it,” he cut his eyes at her, then they went back to the child. “I have something very important to tell you.”

“What?” asked David, his hand hidden in his pocket, but his eyes never leaving George’s face.

“You see David, a long time ago, a man and a woman had twins. Two boys. But an evil imp came only a week after they were born, and told them they had to make a deal. One child would be taken. The couple begged him to reconsider, but he would not change his mind. When they realized that, they knew they had to take the deal or watch both of their children die.”

Emma felt Regina shift beside her, and she tried desperately not to look at her and alert the guards to her movement.

George knelt down before the boy. “I’ve been watching you David, and talking with people. They tell me you’re a very smart boy. Loyal. Kind. You were meant to be a prince. You see it was our family that was cursed. When you and your brother were born, Rumpelstiltskin made your mother and I give one of you up. We didn’t want to. But the Dark One even has power over kings and queens. He said he would kill both of you if we didn’t. We insisted it be a good home, and he found Ruth and Geoffrey.  We wrote a letter and asked them to love you and take care of you like their own son. And they did, I’m so grateful for that,” he touched David’s cheek gently.

“That’s not true,” whispered David softly. One hand was clenching nervously, and the other had settled firmly in his pocket.

“But it is. Look!” George unrolled a piece of parchment and handed it to the boy. “You see there, at the end, where it says the deal has been struck…that’s your parents’ names, is it not?”

David studied it carefully, “It looks like their signatures,” he said. “But that doesn’t make it so.”

To Emma’s surprise, George smiled instead of scowling, pulling the parchment away, “That’s right, that’s right! You are a bright boy, aren’t you? But tell me David, have you not ever heard your parents speak of another child, another boy? In secret perhaps?”

David’s face clouded and Emma managed to choke out, “David…” before she was abruptly silenced, her voice blocked as if she were being strangled.

“When I was little,” there was a dreamy quality to David’s speech, “I got up in the night to see Mama and Papa. I didn’t feel well. When I was near their bed I could hear them whispering. They mentioned a brother…” He looked at George, “But I had a fever that night so I thought I was dreaming. They told me I was…when I asked them later. Were they…were they talking of _my_ brother?”

George patted his head, “They were David, I’m sure of it.”

“Where is my brother now?” asked David, his hands had relaxed but his face showed confusion.

Real agony appeared on George’s face, “He is dead, as is my wife, your real mother. They died long ago,” unconsciously a tear slipped down his face.

David immediately took the older man’s hand, “I’m sorry,” he said, voice soft with compassion.

George wiped his face with a careless hand, “But you see David, out of this tragedy is a gift. With your brother gone, the curse is lifted, so you can come home now. You can be who you were meant to be. A prince.”

Emma stared at the man in dumb amazement. It wasn’t the story he was reeling out so easily, it was the tone he was using…the belief. Had he gone completely insane? Because he seemed to accept it as the truth. Everything.

David looked at him, understanding and belief dawning in his wide, blue eyes. “I’m a real prince?” he muttered dazedly, risking a glance back at Snow, who had used Regina and Emma’s stillness to move in front of them as had Henry. “Really and truly? And you’re my father? A king?”

“Yes,” George’s smile was genuine. “And you can live with me. When we find a way home, we will live in a splendid castle.”

David blinked rapidly trying to process all the information he had received, and his mind instinctively moved to his mother. “Can my mother join us? Because she’s still my mother and she’s very, very good. And she-”

There was a flash of something when George raised his head to look at Emma again, then it changed as he took both of the child’s shoulders in his hands and spoke softly. “My dear boy…”

 _Nooo,_ howled Emma inside her head. _Don’t you do it. Don’t you say it_!  
“I’m afraid your mother has been killed,” George said simply, in denial of Emma’s unheard commands.

David gasped like he had been punched, and his eyes filled with terror. “No, she hasn’t…she can’t…I didn’t get to say-” he tried to back away, but George held him fast.

“I’m afraid it is so,” said George. “Emma has been keeping it from you. Lying to you because she didn’t want you to know.”

David turned to her, tears already falling down her cheeks as the spell was immediately ripped from her throat, “David,” she gasped, “He’s the one…”

But he saw the truth of his mother’s death in her eyes. The tears overflowed, and Snow moaned softly as she saw them. “I’m-I’m an orphan?” he gasped again as he began weeping in earnest. Emma felt her heart break. George scooped the child up and pressed his face into his neck as a sound of anguish was torn from his throat. In the same motion, he had pressed a syringe against his neck and David ceased crying…ceased moving, except for the slow rise and fall of his chest.

“David!” shrieked Snow, running forward. Emma felt the hard grip of the spell cement her immobilization. She looked at Regina, panicked. Beads of sweat stood on the woman’s face as she moved her lips without sound.

“Let him go!” Such as deadly tone should sounded ridiculous in a little girl but Snow managed to sound menacing. “I don’t believe you at all. You aren’t David’s real father. You’re nothing, **nothing** like him. David won’t believe you for long and when you-”

George turned from her and made a careless gesture with his hand, and quicker then Emma could blink, a soldier had used a sword to run it through Snow’s chest.

There was blank, white noise in Emma’s head and several things happened at once. George disappeared with David and nearly all of his men. Henry screamed. There was a flash as Emma felt the spell release her and a puff of purple smoke as Regina vanished, only to reappear at Snow’s side. She wrenched the soldier’s heart from his chest and crushed it instantly. In a quick motion, she scooped up the bleeding girl…and vanished.


	12. Unveiling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terry Moore, who created the amazing story, Strangers in Paradise, once said that he thought it ridiculous that all sorts of violence could be shown on movies and television, but then he couldn’t show a romantic scene between two women. In that vein, when he wrote and drew violence, it was terrible. There’s some violence in this next section, and it isn’t pretty. I don’t think it’s gratuitous, I researched the type of wound I wanted to describe what it would have been like. I imagine it could be disturbing to people who are particularly sensitive, or to those who don’t like bad things happening to their favorite characters. I didn’t enjoy writing it. Snow is one of my favorites and she’s little here. I don’t enjoy seeing her suffer. It does serve a purpose though, that I hope I made clear.

 

Emma gasped into the sudden silence. She could hear Henry sobbing and she automatically pulled him to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head on her arm. She needed to think.  She had to figure out what to do next. Protect Henry. Find her parents. She could feel her entire body sparking with energy and she cursed her inconsistent magic skills. Her magic was tied to her emotions and in this kind of situation it was worse then useless…it was dangerous. She took deep breaths. Her parents weren’t dead. They weren’t. David had been breathing, and Snow…Oh, G-d, Snow had been bleeding so badly. And Regina had taken her. Where? Where! Emma felt her breath coming fast again and she tried to slow it down. To concentrate. She needed to focus. She could find them again. She closed her eyes and reached out for her parents.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

The slight weight of Snow’s body seemed as insubstantial as air. Regina had dared to look down only once, before she was banging on Rumpelstiltskin’s door. He had done something to make it impossible to magically appear within the confines of his ridiculous little store.

“My, my, what do we have here?” his tone was calm, even mildly amused as he looked down. Regina shouldered him bodily aside as she made her way into the shop.

She looked around, trying to find a place to put the girl. She felt warmth running down her arms and looked down. The swathe of blood across the child’s chest, covered the bib of her overalls. Snow’s eyes were bright with pain, although she hadn’t so much as whimpered. Without thinking about it, Regina used her hand to remove the hair that had been plastered against Snow’s face with sweat and blood. She remembered with ridiculous clarity that the little girl had confided in her last week that Emma wasn’t as good at braiding hair as she had was. Instead, the sheriff had bought a dozen homemade barrettes covered in lace and lined with ribbons to keep her hair from falling all over her face. They were a ridiculous expense, Regina had told her. Spoiling a child who was already quite spoilt. Snow had ignored the remonstration and had squealed with delight. Then she had given Regina a sidewise glance, and said they would look especially nice with the elaborate braid Regina had perfected. Regina had snorted and shook her head, ignoring the little girl’s mock pout. “Snow has been injured,” she said, her voice sounding far away, her eyes unable to leave the bloody line she had just made on the girl’s cheek. “You must heal her.”

“Must I?” Rumpelstiltskin’s voice was silkily dangerous.

She should have braided the little girl’s hair when they were at the apartment. It wouldn’t have taken long and now it wouldn’t frame her dangerously whitening face like – “What?” Regina blinked at Rumpelstiltskin. “Why wouldn’t you?” anger sharpened her thinking and she glared at the smug man in front of her. “Snow and David have been your pets. For years and years!”

Mr. Gold shrugged casually, brushing by her to move to the counter and rub at an imaginary spot. “That’s so,” he sighed, “And what have they done for me lately? Nothing. I fear our partnership must come to a close. Now’s as good a time as any.”

Regina’s laugh felt hollow, “You would have me believe that, after all our time of knowing one another? You must think me a fool.”

“I’ve always have,” Rumple’s voice was cutting. “You’re as big a disappointment as they are. Take this one,” he moved his hand toward Snow and Regina jerked them away. “How long have you been after her? Nearly half a century? Now a simple common soldier, not even one of George’s best has managed to kill her.”

“She’s not dead,” snarled Regina.

“Not yet. Really Regina, you should be embarrassed at how easily this feat was accomplished,” his tone was that from long ago, when he had been her master and she his apprentice.

It made anger, both hot and cold run across her body like waves. “I didn’t try to kill her when she was a child. What kind of victory would that have been? She was so small,” her breath caught unexpectedly as she looked down, Snow gaze still on her. The little girl was beginning to gasp and her face had a blue tinge in addition to the paling complexion.

“Well, tell me at least that you are at least gaining some satisfaction in having you enemy’s blood on your hands. At last,” sighed Rumpelstiltskin. “And your clothing…and my floor,” he looked down disdainfully and sniffed, dropping the rag he had been using on the counter to the floor, using it to soak up some of the blood dripping there.

Snow’s blood on her hands. Regina blinked slowly, her eyes feeling like they had weights on them. The blood was actually pooling on Snow’s shirt, then flowing to the floor in a steady river. She was wearing the lavender play suit that Regina had bought her. She had known Snow would love it. Snow’s favorite color may have been white but purple suited her personality better. Oh the courtiers and peasants may have talked about Snow’s purity but Regina lived with her. The little girl who sang to the birds, slid along the freshly waxed hallways, and snitched pastries cooling on the windowsill was the embodiment of mischievous – Snow coughed suddenly, blood spraying from her lips and the wound expanded with grisly suddenness. Jagged flesh and pink tissue peeked out from the wound. Regina focused on Rumpelstiltskin. “I choose to cause her suffering in whatever way I desire,” she snarled. “This is not it.”

Rumple looked bored, “And why is that dearie?”

Regina’s thoughts were painfully sluggish as she tried desperately to say what she wanted. “I want her…”

“To suffer? Sword wounds are incredibly painful, or so I’m told,” he tittered in that shrill, off-putting way that Regina so hated.

“She needs to…”

“Die slowly? I believe that’s happening. My guess is that she’ll asphyxiate before she bleeds to death,” he turned his head to peer at them as though observing a new and particularly rare form of bird.

Snow’s eyes were beginning to glaze, but she had yet to cease looking at Regina. There was no pleading in them, either for mercy or relief, but simple trust. Blood of her foe. Her mortal enemy. Snow. Horrible, hateful Snow. Destroyer of happiness and the ruination of her life. She was dying. Regina was startled when a drop of wetness fell on Snow’s face. Her voice was thick when she turned back to Rumpelstiltskin. “Heal her now Rumple.” When he still did nothing she raised her voice to a shout. “You cannot heal the dead, Rumpelstiltskin! Once they are dead, they are gone!”

“I know,” his reptilian eyes never left her face, and his hand gently reached out to touch Snow’s baby-soft cheek.

Regina looked at him, breathing hard, her hatred and her agony rolling off of her until she closed her eyes in surrender. “I offer a deal. Not Henry’s life. Not hers. Anything else. “Heal her and I’ll…” her tongue stuck in her throat, “I’ll owe you a favor,” she swallowed.

He held her gaze and the little girl in her arms struggled feebly, suddenly energized as she tried to speak. One hand hit the underside of the counter with startling strength. Blood ran in a thin line out of her mouth.

“Be still,” commanded Regina in glacial tones, not looking down “Don’t speak.” Not daring to lower her eyes to the man who stood in front of her. Rumpelstiltskin looked at her for several beats and Snow’s breathing became more labored as the blood continued to drip incessantly to the floor.

“Done,” he said simply, and smiled as he raised his hand.

Regina felt the warmth and the stickiness of the blood leave her skin. She looked down to see that Snow was looking up at her, dazed. Regina glared at Rumpelstiltskin, then shouldered the door to the shop open. She cradled Snow as she had never done before, the same way she had cradled Henry as a toddler.  As soon as they were outside,  Regina put Snow down. “Snow,” she began.

“What did you do!” Snow asked in an incredulous tone, shaking her head to reduce the dizziness caused by standing.

Regina’s eyebrow practically hit her hairline. “Excuse me,” it wasn’t a question.

“You made a deal. With Rumpelstiltskin! He’s evil!” Hands on her hips, she looked at Regina like she had lost her mind.

Regina felt her temper snap, “And just who do you think you’re speaking to?” she demanded in irritation. Snow had barely mustered the courage to speak to her like that as an adult, much less a child.

“My _impetuous_ \- mother!” yelled Snow, a flush rising up in her cheeks, making her look more alive then ever. Her words echoed in the still air as the two glared at one another.

Ominously, Regina took a step forward. The idea that she was impetuous, compared to the whirlwind that was Snow White was ridiculous. She crossed her arms and straightened herself to tower over the little girl. Snow scowled and tilted her head upwards. She refused to back down. She wasn’t going to let her mother get away with making a deal that could put her in danger. Regina gave her the type of glare she had given grown men when they  had failed her – right before she ripped their hearts out. Snow was a brave girl, but she was only eleven. She wilted a little and dropped her head. “I apologize,” she mumbled.

Regina made an indistinguishable noise, almost a snort. Snow peeked at her from behind a curtain of hair. She leaned into Regina and hugged her tightly. Regina stiffened, then let her hands rest lightly on the girl’s shoulders. Her hand automatically stroked the girl’s hair out of her face. “Thank you for saving me,” said Snow softly.

 “I-,”

“Snow!” shrieked Emma running towards them with Henry close behind. Emma pulled Snow into her arms, hands running down the child’s arms, and face, and touching the place where the wound had been. Henry slung his arm around Snow’s waist as well. Without hesitation, Emma kissed the little girl’s cheek. “I was so afraid,” she managed, before she was choked with sobs. She buried her face in the little girl’s hair and wept.

Henry looked worried, and patted his mother’s back until Snow’s little hand took over, then moved to his other mother. “Is she really okay?” he asked her. “Did Rumpelstiltskin heal her like he healed me?”

Regina nodded, “Yes,” she said simply, omitting that there had been both a price and a deal struck.

Snow looked at them, opening her mouth as if to say something, then shut it. Instead she stroked Emma’s hair, as indulgent as she had been when was an adult and known that Emma was her child. “I’m well. I’m well Emma. Please don’t be upset.”

Emma put Snow down, but she held the little girl’s hand tightly. “We need to get back. There’s some people there that need help. Ruby went to get Dr. Whale but I think I can help too.”

Regina nodded stiffly, Henry’s hand in her own. “Let’s go.”

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

The damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been. No one was dead. Red and Granny’s lupine strength lessened the severity of their wounds. Grumpy was hurt the worst but Dr. Whale had been able to perform emergency triage and combined with Emma’s fledgling magic, he was expected to recover within the week.

The damage to the apartment was worse, the door completely unusable. Even with magic, it was unwise to risk staying in a place that had been breached already. Regina volunteered to take them to her home after they had packed up some things. She used several charms, hoping that because it was her only and original dwelling, whatever magic George had been using would not fare as well. The children were unusually silent after Emma had told them they needed a plan of attack before rescuing David. Emma spent a lot of time on the phone, talking alternately to Ruby and the dwarves. While the children set the table, Emma updated them on the situation. David was being held at George’s house. It was surrounded by guards but Red was mapping out a possible entrance. Granny was sure that he was receiving help from the fairies, or at least one of the fairies (she recognized the woman that had followed George) and was trying to obtain further information from Blue, if she could find her.

Regina served dinner and Snow poked at her soup thoughtfully, after eating a bite, finally looking at the two adults. “Did you lie to me too?” she finally asked, her voice low. “Is my father dead like David’s mama is dead?”

Emma couldn’t look at her mother, so afraid of what she would see when she met her eyes. She looked at Regina, but saw no real help there. “It’s complicated,” she admitted slowly.

Snow took another bite of soup, then put the spoon down and folded her hands neatly on the table. “I think you should tell me Emma,” she said, sounding so much like her adult self that Emma raised an eyebrow at her.

She took a bite of her roll, chewing while she tried to think about what to say. “You know that Storybrooke is different from the Enchanted Forest,” she said slowly.

“Yes,” Snow let her elbow rest unconsciously on the table while she gazed at Emma, then looked sidewise at Regina and slipped it off again.

“But that’s not the most recent…oddity.”

“David and I came here,” Snow asserted.

“You and David were already here,” said Emma. “You were just…different.” She took a breath, “You were adults.”

Snow nodded her head, lips pursed. “We’re supposed to be grown-up. We became little again.”

“Yeah,” said Emma, her blue eyes scanning her mother anxiously. Her gaze flickered to Henry who was watching his mother and grandmother with a tense avidity.

“Who are you to me?” Snow asked, turning the conversation in a new direction without pursuing the first.

Emma’s breath caught. “What do you mean?” She felt herself shift nervously in her chair, and wiped her hands on her pants automatically, even though they were dry.

The little girl tilted her head, a half-smile of her face, “You aren’t just my friend, nor David’s. I’ve seen the way you look at us,” she waited patiently. Expectantly.

“I’m,” Emma licked her lips, feeling the weight of the words in her mouth. On her heart. She looked at the table, then her mother’s familiar green eyes. “I’m your daughter.”

Snow took a deep breath with a slow nod. She pushed away from the table, and circled it to reach Emma. Her mother’s intense scrutiny made Emma as nervous as the first time it happened. Snow cupped her hands, and held Emma’s chin gently, peering at her face from different directions. She looked at Regina, her face soft with awe. “Emma’s my baby?” she asked.

“Daughter,” corrected Emma gruffly, letting her eyes flit away nervously.

“Yes,” Regina said simply.

Snow nodded, letting her hands fall gently from Emma’s face, and brought  something out of her pocket. She handed it to Emma, “This is you?” she said more than asked.

Emma reached out and took it. It was a photograph of her from when she was at…the Winters’ home maybe? The yard looked like it. She would have been around nine. It was a Polaroid,  she couldn’t remember who took it. Her blond hair was blowing half over her shoulder, and there was a band-aid over her knee covering a cut she had received while roller skating. She was a little bit grubby and she seemed half-wild. The look on her in her eyes was slightly sad, but the photographer must have said something funny because there was a half-smile on her face. “Where did you get this?”

“I found it in a box that had photographs and other things,” said Snow coolly, as if she hadn’t committed an egregious breach of etiquette.

“Snow!” Regina’s voice was censorious.

Snow gave her the same assessing look. “You weren’t telling us things, and neither David, nor I are stupid. We had to understand what was transpiring.”

Emma tried to be more irritated, but ended up shaking her head. Her mother wouldn’t have dared such a thing as an adult. She, like David danced around the minefield that was parenting an adult child. Little Snow had no such trepidation.

“You look like David and me,” Snow said frankly.

“Yes,” said Emma honestly.

Snow’s smile dimpled her cheeks. “You’re quite beautiful,” she said with the easy assurance of a child, of a mother.

Emma felt herself blush. It wasn’t like she didn’t know she was attractive. Hell, she had used it to her advantage as a thief…as a bounty hunter. But being called beautiful meant something different. Her _mother_ was beautiful. She was just…she was just _Emma_. “I-,” she began.

Snow reached out and touched her lips with her fingers. “Can we please talk about how we’re going to rescue David?”

“No,” said Regina.

“Yes,” said Emma at the same time, grateful of the reprieve and ignoring the warning signs from her brain telling her she needed to continue discussing the other matter with Snow.

“Miss Swan,” began Regina with a heavy sigh.

“I want to know too,” Henry spoke quietly from his seat. He had been watching the interplay of his mom and grandma without speaking, not wanting to interrupt the magic, but the pleading in his voice was unmistakable. How was he ever going to learn to be a knight…a prince if he couldn’t rescue his own grandfather?

Regina looked at her son’s pleading face. “Very well,” she acquiesced. “If-,” her gaze was warning. “If you both eat the rest of your dinner.”

Henry nodded eagerly. He had already ingested over half of his dinner, but Snow nodded more slowly. She could be a picky eater, especially when something was taking her attention away from the food.

“Snow,” Regina warned.

Snow’s gaze fluttered to hers, surely realizing that with the amount of trouble that had happened today, it was unwise to test her further. “Yes ma’am,” she agreed politely. Then her face brightened. “If we eat all of our food, may we all have hot chocolate while we discuss David’s rescue?”

“Very well,” Regina picked up the spoon and dipped it into the soup.

Being as it was so late, Regina insisted that the children wash and change into pajamas before any talk happened. Henry grumbled but did as he was told. After her bath, Snow walked over to Regina, smiling a little as she held a brush and a hair elastic out. “Braid my hair please?” she requested.

Emma watched Regina’s face settle in lines of concentration as she plaited the girl’s hair quickly and carefully, catching stray wisps of hair and tucking them in with ruthless efficiency. Snow saw her watching them. “Did I do as nice a job as my mother braiding _your_ hair?” she asked guilessly.

Regina’s hands stilled a moment, flashing a look at Emma. “Let’s go make the hot chocolate, Snow,” she said abruptly.

Snow looked between them, frowning a little. “But-,”

“We’re making hot chocolate now, or not at all,” said Regina without hesitation.

Snow gnawed her lower lip, until Emma nodded towards the kitchen. “Go on, kid,” she said. “I really want some hot chocolate.”

Snow nodded, “Very well.”

By the time the hot chocolate was done, Henry had bounded down, hair wet but smelling clean. He cuddled against Emma. Emma finished talking to Ruby and clicked the phone off. “Are we really going to get Gramps back?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Emma. There wasn’t any doubt in her mind.

Snow walked over to the living room, carefully balancing a tray of hot chocolate covered in whip cream and sprinkled with various colors. She wore a pleased smile. “Mother has all sorts of little candies to go on the whip cream. She said I could use them as long as it was sparingly.”

“Very generous, Julia Child,” Emma said dryly as Regina reappeared. The other woman frowned at her. “I beg your pardon?”

“What’s with all the sprinkles?” she asked, making room for the mugs on the table scattered with rough diagrams of George’s house.

“Christmas cookies,” Regina returned, giving her a judicious frown.

Emma frowned right back, “Shouldn’t Halloween be more your thing?”

“I put chocolate sprinkles on Henry’s, and chocolate shavings on yours Emma and a little bit of cinnamon on both. I put mint on Mother’s and extra cinnamon on mine,” Snow interrupted as she passed out the large mugs.

Emma sipped her hot chocolate, closing her eyes as she did so. Damn, but it was good. Snow wriggled impatiently. “Can you tell us about the plans now Emma?” she asked.

“Okay,” Emma balanced her mug on her knee as she pointed to one diagram. “Red’s almost positive that David’s here,” she indicated a room. “There’s guards all around, but they’re especially concentrated here and here,” she indicated two places.

Henry nodded, “So how are we going to get in?” his mug was already half empty.

Regina and Emma debated various plans while the children listened quietly. Henry had finished his hot chocolate and was beginning to nod. He put his mug carefully on the coffee table, and leaned into Emma. She stroked his hair automatically as he closed his eyes. He was so tired. Maybe if he just took a quick nap…

Snow asked quiet questions, trying not to interrupt the flow of the adults. “What if…she began pointing to an area on the diagram and accidentally knocking over the mug, “Oops!” she said.

Both Regina and Emma made a grab for it, “Snow!” Regina scolded. Then froze as her fingers touched the mug. She looked up and saw that Emma was frozen too, staring at her fingers as the blue magic covered them.

Snow began carefully backing away from them. “I’m sorry. I really am,” the little girl said, hands spread wide in supplication.

“Snow…” Emma’s eyes were wide. “What are you doing?”

“David and I have to fix this,” the little girl continued backing her way to the door, where their things were piled. “We have to do it _now_. We have to make it right.”

“Snow!” Regina’s voice was rigid with fury. “How did you…?” she could feel the familiar binding sensation and she cursed fairy magic in all the languages she knew

“I’m sorry,” said Snow again. She rummaged through the suitcases, pulling out the sling, a short sword, and a set of bow and arrows. The sling and sword went on her waist, the bow and arrows across her back.

“Snow,” Emma’s voice was choked with emotion. “You can’t do this.”

Snow’s face was full of tenderness. “I must. We must. You’re our daughter Emma. Our _child_. We can’t let anything happen to you.” She looked at Regina, at the sleeping Henry. “You’re our _family_.”

“Henry!” called Emma hoarsely, praying he would wake-up and stop his grandmother.

“He’ll be asleep for a while. It’s a simple draught. He wanted to come too, but he’s my grandson. I have to protect him,” Snow said simply.

“Snow,” Regina’s voice was gaining power and the little girl stepped back automatically at the tone. “I forbid you to leave this house. I absolutely forbid it!”

The child’s smile was full of both sweetness and sadness. “I suppose you’ll have to catch me then,” the words were sassy, but the tone was not. She opened the door, and looked longingly at her family. “Good-bye. I love you.”

She blew them a kiss and Emma could swear she felt the caress brush her cheek as the door clicked shut.


	13. Undoing

 

Snow closed her eyes as soon as the fresh air hit her. “Hello again, little one,” a voice said from behind her.

Snow spun around, hand clasped lightly on the sword, then smiled tentatively, “The dust worked like you said it would,” she said.

The brunette woman smiled at the child. “I rather thought it would. Do you know your next step?”

“I need to get to David,” Snow stepped closer to the woman, who was clothed simply in a yellow dress, seemingly immune to the chill in the air.

“I can help with that,” the woman admitted, “But you need to get as close as possible. Then use this,” she put a small pouch in the girl’s hand. “After you get him, make sure you hold his hand and get to where we talked about.”

Snow nodded soberly, “That will fix things?”

“I said it would, didn’t I? After everything I’ve done for you, are you really going to doubt me now,” the woman’s tone was lofty, as if she was well above all the pettiness and hard-scrabble ways of common people.

Snow frowned out the tone. “Yes, well, if it doesn’t then you won’t get what you want,” she said simply.

The woman’s smugness dropped away, “Come now, Snow, there’s no need for that. I am your friend, truly.”

Snow tried to give her the same warning look her step-mother would bestow on the various castle inhabitants when things weren’t as she wanted, “It would be in both our best interests if you were,” she said coolly. “I’m going to get David. I’ll be where you asked as soon as I can.” With that the little girl jogged off into the darkness, the sword glimmering in the moonlight.

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

George sat on the side of the bed looking at the sleeping child. “Your Majesty,” Allen stood silhouetted in the doorway.

“Do you remember when James was ten?” George asked, still gazing at the  boy.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” the other man’s voice was low, as not to wake the child.

“He was just ten but he was worried about me. I was so despondent after Deorwynn died. And that one day…he just disappeared. His nursemaid, the soldiers…” he turned and gave the other man a grim smile …”you. Nobody could find him.”

Allen flinched involuntarily at the memory. He carried bruises for weeks from King George’s fury. “He was a clever boy, Your Majesty,” he said.

George went on, uncaring that the other man had spoke, “Then he comes back, covered in mud and blood with a tooth in his hand. ‘I killed a dragon for you Father,’ he bragged. ‘I’ll kill more and more of them for you. I’ll be your bravest knight in all the realm.’”

“James loved you very much,” said Allen honestly. “There was no one else he cared for.” Women had paraded through James’s arms…and his bed, but he had never loved them. He saved his admiration and adoration for his father, uncaring of who he hurt or what he did if it was for him.

“He needs a haircut,” George studied the boy, letting his fingers run through the golden hair. “It’s too long. And you will teach him the lessons he needs to learn, won’t you Allen?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I am your loyal servant as always,” the tone was almost whiningly obsequious. 

George’s turned and his smile made the other man take a step back in fear. “Of course you are.” When he turned back to the boy, his face softened immeasurably. “Good-night James,” he whispered, allowing himself to touch the boy’s head one last time. “Dream of slaying dragons tonight, my son. Tomorrow you begin again.”

Snow held her breath as the horrible man kissed David’s head. She was afraid it would do something to her friend, like one of those horrible tales when a monster could turn you to stone just by touching you, but nothing happened. She began breathing normally when both men left the room. Her precarious balance on the shadowed side of the windowsill made her eager to throw herself into the safety of the room, but she closed her eyes and counted until she thought enough time had passed. She was gratified to see the window was slightly open, even though it wasn’t more then a finger’s width. Tentatively she maneuvered the short sword under the bottom of the window sill. Applying a gentle, but firm pressure, she began to ease the window upwards using the girth of the sword. She got it to a point where it wouldn’t move anymore. It wasn’t a large amount of space, but it was enough for one small girl. Snow slipped nimbly through the window and crept over to the bed. She gazed at David for a moment, seeing the traces of tears still on his face. She slipped into bed with him, dragging his arm around him, and regarding him with a pensive expression. “Remember how we talked about how it was so strange, how we seemed to know each other so well? We finished one another’s sentences, and sometimes, when I looked at you, I just knew what you were thinking. We were grown, and we’re married David, you and I. We belong to each other, just like our hearts said before the rest of us knew.”

“There was always something,” David’s voice, though clogged with medicine-induced sleep was clear enough to startle her. He opened his eyes.

Snow smiled at him, reaching out to brush the hair from his face. “There was,” she confirmed.

He couldn’t smile at her, not with all the grief he was carrying, but his eyes softened imperceptibly. “Emma?”

Snow’s smile deepened, “She’s ours too.”

A faint frown furrowed David’s face. “I can’t believe I’m actually somebody’s papa,” he said. “Do you think I’m a good one, Snow?”

“Yes,” said Snow without a moment’s hesitation. “Of that, I have no doubt.”

David’s frown deepened, “Then why would Emma have lied to me? That…She shouldn’t…” he faltered and looked at her, eyes bright with tears.

Snow bit her lip, “Emma feels terribly that you are hurt. She couldn’t even talk about it. I think she was trying to protect us David. Wouldn’t you do that, even if it hurt someone you love? In the end, all that matters is  that they’re safe.”

The little boy nodded, and swallowed. “I hope my mother wasn’t alone. I hope I was with her.” He closed his eyes and a few tears made their way down his cheeks. “Who am I, if I’m not my mother’s son?”

“You’re David. My husband. Emma’s father. Henry’s grandfather,” Snow’s voice was steady as she clung to his hand.

He nodded, using the other hand to swiftly wipe the tears from his face. “And we have to protect them now.”

“Yes,” Snow began pulling him out of the bed. “Change quickly. We need to be at the well right away.”

David shed his pajamas, after giving Snow a pointed look until she turned around, then began dressing. “Do you think we can trust her?”

Snow nodded, startled when she felt his hand touch her shoulder lightly and indicate the sword with his eyes. She nodded. “She can’t just take what she want because I hid it. I won’t tell her where it is until we’re big again. And you did your part, right?”

“Yes,” David hooked the sword onto his belt.

“Then we’re ready.”

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

When they reached the town’s wishing well, the darkness was so deep that they stumbled several times. When they heard a voice coming from behind them, they  jumped a little. “Well, here you are.”

Instinctively, the children stepped together, their hands forming an impenetrable link between them. “How will this work?” David demanded, his blue eyes assessing the woman, who did the same.

“No, first you must answer my question. Did you put the statue in his shop?” the woman asked.

David nodded, “I hid it among some other objects. Henry and I thought they looked similar.”

“Good,” the woman’s smirk held a certain danger.

David felt his heart chill a little. “You promised it wouldn’t kill him. You told the truth, right?”

“I don’t lie, little one. It won’t kill him. It’s just a reminder that’s it’s not good to cross fairies,” she told the boy evenly. “And it will remind him that there are limits to his power as well.”

Snow frowned, “He’s bad David. If something bad happens to him it’s probably warranted.”

“Snow!”

“He made a deal with my stepmother! And you heard what Henry said. He said all the deals he makes are only to his advantage. What if he makes her do bad things too? I don’t trust him.” Snow’s hands were clenched in agitation.

David moved closer to her and spoke in a low voice, “We don’t know that she is better,” he indicated the other woman with a small movement of his head.

“If it makes you feel better children, the punishment is well deserved.”

“You said he hurt your sister,” said Snow, exchanging a glance with David.

“He did. My sister blames Rumpelstiltskin. But I blame George more. Rumpel had no loyalty to us, but George did. After all my sister did for their family, he betrayed her. Where we were three, now there are only two of us,” she looked at David. “Losing a son again will be a fitting punishment. We can only hope that it will hurt even more a second time.”

“I’m sorry for him,” said David. “He seems very sad,” he fingered something from his pocket as he said this.

The woman’s smile was bittersweet. “That’s kind of you. I don’t think you’ll feel the same way after your curse is broken.”

David nodded slowly. “My mama said revenge is a double-edged sword. She said if you pursue only that, you’re likely to be punishing yourselves as well. I didn’t like hearing that, because I think there are some people who deserve it, but she was probably right.”

The woman leaned forward to touch David’s face. “Your mother sounds like a wise woman.”

“Are you going to get in trouble?” asked Snow, fingering the bow protectively as the woman leaned close to her beloved.

“Blue won’t be happy,” the tone was as dry as the high desert.

Snow scrunched up her face uncertainly, looking at her, then David. “Do you think grown-up me is going to be mad at me, when this is all done?”

David looked alarmed, “Why would you think that?” he asked, peering at her face anxiously.

“I was thinking that Emma reminds me a lot of us, and since parents and kids are alike…and she’s going to be mad at us…,” Snow trailed off uncertainly, “That makes sense, right?”

David sighed a little as this new concern was thrust upon him. The fairy chuckled a little, then sobered, coming to her main concern. “Where is my sister’s wand?” she asked.

“Hidden,” said Snow simply. The woman opened her mouth to protest and Snow raised a hand, looking suddenly regal, “I’m not reneging on our deal, but we have to make sure that you’re telling the truth, that we will be restored to our adult selves.” She dug around in her pocket and handed a piece of paper to the other woman.

The woman scanned in quickly, then looked up at them with a scowl. “This is a bunch on nonsense,” she said angrily.

“It was David’s idea,” Snow spared him a quick smile. “Those words don’t mean much to you, but they do to us. Even if we forget being small, those words will still have significance. They will remind us where we hid your sister’s wand.”

“You certainly are suspicious,” the woman said, suddenly sullen.

David shook his head, “No, you have been honest so far. We just aren’t stupid, that’s all.”

The woman sighed, looked at them, and rolled her eyes. “Very well. Here’s what you need,” she handed Snow what looked like a purple stone. “You must hold it tightly as you jump into the well.”

David walked over the edge to stare into the inky blackness, “And how is it that we won’t be killed by this fall?”

“Magic.”

“And magic’s worked out so well for us so far,” said David, exchanging another glance with Snow.

“Then I suppose you just can stay as you are, family and all,”  the woman shrugged. “Leave your daughter and grandson without your protection.”

“That’s not what we want,” said Snow, coming up beside David and grasping his hand again. “We’ll do as you say.”

“Very well. I will find you later,” the woman began moving off into the inky black of the woods.

“You aren’t staying?” asked Snow in confusion. The silent darkness was her only answer. The children looked at the well. Snow sighed as David lay on his stomach to peer again into the darkness, “I hope this works. If it doesn’t we’re going to be in so much trouble.”

David snorted a little as he used his hands to lift himself onto the edge of the well, then stood, balancing easily on the edge. “We’re going to be in trouble,” he repeated with a rueful shake of the head. “Why do I think that being married to you is going to be one long series of trouble Snow White?”

Snow gave a more delicate snort as he extended his hand and she grabbed it daintily clambering up beside him, smoothing out her overalls as if she was wearing the most elegant of ball gowns, “Marrying me will be a wonderful adventure.” They exchanged small smiles, their fear and worry making the smiles tremulous. She sighed, turning to look up at him. “I just hope this works.” Snow wrung her hands together, then looked down for a moment. “I think I’m a little afraid David. Because we might actually die if it doesn’t work.”

He reached over to take her hand, lifting her chin with the other. “You’re not afraid,” he said confidingly.

“I’m not?”

“No. The valiant Snow is never afraid,” he gave her the smile that she had decided long ago she would never get tired of seeing.

Snow took a deep breath. If David believed in her, she knew she could do it.

She closed her eyes, unsure she would be able to bear the rushing darkness when they fell. She opened her eyes again  when she felt David’s lips meet hers in the tenderest of kisses. The blue of his eyes mirrored her soft wonderment. He touched his lips softly, letting the smile play there for moments as they looked at one another. This time they came together again quite naturally and their arms circled one another. Without saying another word, they jumped into the well, just as the slow purple tendrils of magic began seeping out.


	14. Unvarnished

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we have come to the end. This is a fairly emotional chapter, and as in most things, the ending is not neatly wrapped up in a red bow. Complication is an aspect to our lives, not just in a negative sense, but in the kind that make our lives a little more intricate and a little deeper.

Ch. 14 - Unvarnished 

Emma wondered if time in Storybrooke had slowed down. It seemed to take forever for the spell to release she and Regina, and another stretch of time to wake Henry from his drugged sleep. Regina had waved her hands swiftly, which seemed to clear the fog from his brain, because it took him about three seconds to realize what had happened. “Grams and Gramps,” he said to Emma with tears in his eyes.

She enfolded him in a quick hug and kissed the top of his head. “They’ll be okay, kid,” she murmured, praying her parents wouldn’t make a liar of her.

He pulled them out the door, tongue tripping over his words as he told them about the well, and apparently a secret “friend” who was aiding them. As Regina transported them to Storybrook’s well, Emma closed her eyes, hoping that if she believed it enough, she would find them safe and whole. Her heart dropped when they reached the well. The surrounding area was completely still, as if every creature around had vanished. “Snow! David!” she called.

Regina scanned the area swiftly, “Snow!”

“Grams! Gramps!” Henry’s clear voice carried a plaintiveness that hurt Emma’s heart.

“Snow! David!” yelled Emma again as she clasped the sides of the well in desperation.

“We could use a little help,” Emma’s head snapped around as she heard her father’s familiar baritone voice come out of the darkness of the well.

“David!” she called, “Is Snow with you?”

The words had barely left her mouth when she heard her mother’s voice, “I’m here too Emma. We’re okay.”

Trembling, Emma steadied her hands enough to haul the flashlight out of her pocket. It didn’t seem to make a dent in the inky darkness. “Where are you?” she asked.

“Pretty much at the bottom of the well,” David admitted.

Emma recognized an undercurrent of pain and her heart began beating a little faster. “Are you okay?” she demanded again.

There was a pause, then, “Just a few bumps and bruises.”

Shit. If her mother was admitting _that_ , they probably had broken bones or something. G-d damn them, why did they keep doing stuff like this? They were her damn parents. Did they think she didn’t need them or something?

“Don’t yell at them Mom,” said Henry, interpreting her expression easily. “They thought they were helping.”

“Well they weren’t,” she snapped, trying to figure out a way she could get down there. She turned to Regina helplessly, “Can you magic them up here?” she asked.

Regina pursed her lips, her scowl so fierce that the lines might never be erased from her face, “It would be better if I could see them. Safer.”

“Henry, give me your flashlight,” demanded Emma. She looked at Regina, “Can you float these down to them so it won’t hit them in the head or something?”

“That might actually improve their thinking,” Regina muttered, visibly calming down with her self-imposed snarkiness. She took the flashlights from Emma’s hands as they watched her maneuver them down the well, floating like feathers in a stable wind.

“Got them,” said David’s voice, the lights giving off a tiny glow from the depths of the well.

“Is that enough?” Emma asked doubtfully. There seemed to be two vague adult-type shadows, but it certainly wasn’t very clear.

“It will have to be, won’t it?” said Regina.

“She can do it,” Henry hung briefly on her arm, giving her one of his most hopeful smiles. “I know she can.”

Regina gave him one of her only-for-Henry smiles then began muttering under her breath as she gazed down the well.

There was a barely concealed yelp of pain from Snow and a grunt from David that indicated the two of them, were indeed injured in some way. Emma stared at her white knuckles, refusing to entertain the possibility they were badly hurt. When David’s hand appeared at the lip of the well, Regina lowered her arms and Emma grabbed her father’s hand with both of hers.

“Help Snow first,” David breathed painfully.

Snow’s smaller hand, covered with scrapes and some blood appeared quickly. Emma began hauling her out of the well. They collapsed together for a moment, Emma allowing herself to press her forehead against her mother’s before she scrambled up to help her father. Henry had grabbed his grandfather’s hand and was red-faced with his efforts. Emma held David’s other hand as they brought him out of the well. He collapsed near Snow, holding her hand for a moment to kiss it.

Regina watched, eyes shadowed as Emma and Henry held David and Snow in hugs of relief. “Are you okay?” unbidden, Emma’s eyes had filled with tears. “Are you really okay?”

Snow cupped her daughter’s chin in her hand, her loving hand feeling so good against her cheek that Emma’s tears spilled over. “We’re fine Emma. Really.” David stroked the back of her hair, his big hand stretching across her skull easily.

Henry looked at his family anxiously.  “I can’t believe you guys left me behind!” he said incredulously. “We were in this together!”

David frowned, “Well that…I mean we…,” he looked at Snow.

Snow looked back at him, then at her daughter and grandson, “What David means is that it was us…but not totally us. I mean, it was eleven-year-old us making decisions, not us as we are now.” Her gaze fluttered to Regina’s for a moment, then darted quickly away.

“So you remember it and everything?” Emma asked.

“Ye-es,” Snow’s reply was hesitant.

Emma immediately smacked them both on their arms, “What were you thinking? You could’ve been killed!”

Her parents winced more then the tiny smack warranted. “Sorry?” David’s voice was apologetic but his face showed clearly that he was not.

Emma took a deep breath, then looked at them. These were her parents. They weren’t little kids anymore. She looked down at her hands in confusion. “You scared me,” she muttered finally, her hair falling in a curtain around her face.

“We’re sorry,” this time David’s face and voice were sincere. “We’re so sorry Emma. We didn’t mean to scare you two,” his other arm had wrapped itself around Henry, pulling his grandson nearer to him.

Snow snaked her arm around Emma, pulling her to her side. Emma closed her eyes, letting herself revel in her parents closeness. David and Snow were undoubtedly two of the most physically affectionate people in all the realms. She had learned to accept their constant invasion in her personal bubble, her mother more then her father at first, but it didn’t take long for him to give in. At first, she had just thought they were trying to make-up for things, but after spending so long with their child-selves, she realized it was just who they were. Snow would climb into her lap, or lay her head down in her lap, or cuddle into her in her sleep. David would touch her to get her attention, or hold her hand as casual as anything. Touch was comfort. It was an expression of their love and trying to stifle or back away from it would be a form of cruelty. “We need to get you guys to the hospital,” Emma sniffed finally.

Her parents nearly instant babble of protest was predictable. “Emma we…”

“We’re fine Emma, we just need…”

Emma glared at them. “We’re _going_ to the hospital. I seem to remember a certain twisted ankle that got me,” she switched her glare solely to her father, ” _Carried_ to the hospital and you practically threatened Whale when he said I didn’t have to stay overnight.”

Her father raised his hands in mock supplication and looked at Snow. She nodded. Reluctantly. “Very well Emma,” Snow sighed.

Emma didn’t try to restrain her smirk at all. She watched her parents as they maneuvered their way up. “I’ll get the car,” she said, “It’d be good to try a little four-wheeling.”

The image of Emma’s little yellow bug flying through the trees was not a comforting one. Both David and Snow opened their mouths to protest but before they could speak, Regina had waved her arms and sent them to the hospital.

Emma blinked a little then said, ”Okay. I’ll get one of the nurses.”

Henry leaned against Snow, looking around curiously. “Mom’s not here,” he announced.

Snow looked around, a fleeting emotion crossing her features.  “Other things to do, I suppose,” she gave Henry’s shoulders a little squeeze and felt David’s hand caress her neck.

It was an uncomfortable few hours. David’s arm had a hairline fracture and he had a lump on his head that meant he was in for a night’s observation at least. Snow had a gash on her back that required quite a few stitches and had managed to tear a tendon in her leg, of all things. Emma didn’t leave their sides, her arms crossed over her chest as she scanned her parents with a protective stance and once and a while, reached out to touch them. Each time they would smile at her, and respond with reassuring words.

The night in the hospital room was even more unpleasant. The room did have two beds, but true to form, Snow and David ended up in one. Emma took over the other one after seeing her parents were truly going to sleep in the narrow bed, holding on to one another like limpets. Henry, after insisting handsomely that his mother take the bed, curled up in one of the hospital chairs that reclined into a semi-bed. They were awoken often, by a nurse, by one another, so when morning came, all were cranky and ready to go home. Processing was slow so Emma and Henry brought breakfast from Granny’s consisting of home-made coffee cake, eggs, bacon, and enough coffee to fill a small swimming pool. It was barely enough. The rest of the day passed in lazy splendor as the family alternately napped and played games.

It was only the second day that Emma realized her parents were giving her hesitant glances, and looking away quickly when she caught them at it. While her father seemed generally amused, her mother was another story. Snow actually seemed to be _avoiding_ her. She side-stepped quiet conversations, or even being alone with her daughter. Emma hadn’t realized how annoying it was when someone tried to avoid emotional conversations. She felt a little sorry for her parents, knowing they had to do it with her, more than once. Emma finally cornered David when Snow was out grocery shopping and Henry was visiting Regina. David was doing dishes, the dishtowel slung carelessly over his shoulder as he whistled quietly. Emma leaned against the counter awhile, studying him quietly. He wasn’t a massive man, but he had an undeniable presence.

“You just going to keep starting at me?” her father’s voice teased her and Emma startled and blushed a little.

“Maybe,” she replied.

He turned around, giving the cereal bowl one last swipe of the cloth before he put it away. Then he walked toward her, stopping only when he was on the other side of the counter. “I really should apologize to you,” he said, a bemused smile on his lips.

“Why?” asked Emma hesitantly. Her parents had apologized many times in their short relationship.

Her father’s smile grew. “For the last few weeks. It couldn’t have been easy. I mean, Snow and I caused you a lot of trouble,” his grin showed he still found it more amusing then anything.

“You?” Emma teased back, “You were the goodest of good boys.”

This time, David’s cheeks did pink a little, “Not so, I’m afraid.”

Well Emma could certainly reassure him on that point. “You were one of the sweetest kids ever,” she smirked a little, “It was _Snow_ that was the real problem.”

He laughed, “You think so too?”

Emma loved the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, the joyous expression on his face more at home then any angry look could ever be. Experience in the foster homes had taught her even wishing for her mother was a lot to ask for. But she would have been lying if she didn’t admit that she had dreamed on a man whose laughter would provoke her own and whose very presence would assure her safety. This man was that and so much more. She moved a little closer to him, and she saw his eyes immediately assume that tender look he wore so often when he looked at her. “It was weird,” she said honestly. His gaze sobered immediately. “Seeing you guys like that when you were so little.”

“Yes,” her father took a breath like he was going to say something, but changed his mind.

Emma waited, but when he didn’t speak, she forged ahead, uncommonly verbose. “I hadn’t realized before…how different your childhood was from mine.” She saw a flicker of pain cross her face and continued quickly, “It really was like you were from the Dark Ages or something.”

This time a look of insult crossed his face, “Dark Ages?”

“If the armor fits…”

David laughed again. “I suppose you’re right.”

Emma tilted her head, making her voice as casual as possible, “Would I have been raised like you were?”

Her father’s blue eyes met her evenly. “Not…exactly…” he began.

Despite herself, Emma felt a little hurt. Her father had seemed to grow up adored by his parents. Wouldn’t her parents have…? Was there something…?

David immediately seemed to catch her train of thought, later she wondered whether it had been in her expression or in the slump of her shoulders. Either way, in millisecond he had grabbed her hand tightly. “I wanted more for you Emma,” he said honestly. Her eyes flickered to his nervously before they shot down again. “My parents were amazing and loving, I couldn’t have asked for better,” he began. Emma looked at him again when he hesitated. “But we were so poor Emma. And the idea that you can live on love isn’t true.” He swallowed, and Emma knew what this was costing him. He was fiercely protective of his family. “There were nights,” he closed his eyes, “Many nights where I went to bed not just hungry, but starving. When I was little I would cry about it, but I stopped when I realized it hurt my mother. There were other things,” he looked at their entwined fingers. “When Snow…when your mother told me she was pregnant, I was overwhelmed by the thoughts of what I could give you.” A small frown wrinkled his brow, “It’s not that I thought material goods were the most important thing. I was just so excited that there was literally, nothing I couldn’t buy for you. I’m afraid,” this time his mouth slanted upwards in a little grin, “I spoiled you terribly before you even drew air.”

Emma smiled back, this was not a hard-kept secret. After she had seen the nursery her mother had told her that her father spent his spare moments trying to fill it. Apparently he had even began giving toys to peasant children, in honor of her upcoming birth. No royal child, had ever been so adored as Emma by her subjects, Snow assured her. She had made it sound like it was primarily on his shoulders but Emma knew, as his number one partner in crime, her mother would have done her fair share of spoiling, both of her and the surrounding children. When she had mentioned, off-handedly, that she would have been spoiled growing up, her mother said, “Would have? Don’t try and tell me that you needed a music player for your car?” And Emma had smiled because it was true. She had only to glance at something and her father was off trying to purchase it for her. “Yeah,” she agreed.

He nodded, “Every parent wants more for their kids. I just had the ability to do so. And it gave me such comfort to know that you would never go hungry, that you would be given everything by parents who loved you so much that…”  Emma reached out to brush the tears from his cheeks, her own tears blurring her vision. “I know,” she said softly.

He brought their joined hands to his lips, and kissed the back of her fingers, like he did so often to Snow. It was an intimate gesture and Emma let herself relax into it. They were quiet for awhile, then Emma asked, “Why is Snow avoiding me?”

The look in his eyes told her he knew exactly why her mother was avoiding her and she restrained herself from stomping her foot in irritation. If they both knew, why weren’t they talking to _her_? True love was great but sometimes it could feel very exclusionary, especially when the famous lovebirds had spent their entire adulthood together. “Emma,” he began. She gave him a look that reminded him so much of Snow that he stopped, and decided on a better course of action. “Why would you be avoiding us?” he asked instead, reminding his daughter that she was more like her parents then just in appearance.

She scowled a minute, then looked thoughtful. “How do I get her to stop and talk to me?” she asked.

Her father looked at her fondly, then pulled her toward him through their linked hands, dropping a kiss on her forehead, “I’d try a net.”

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

It didn’t take a net but it was a near thing the next morning. David, whose love for the two women in his family made him more than aware of what needed to happen, made a less-then graceful exit as he abruptly pulled Henry out the door and said they were going to do some riding. From the semi-panicked look on Snow’s face and the fact she was elbow deep in suds washing dishes, it was clear she wasn’t in on this plan.  She looked around the suddenly empty apartment, then tried to casually pull off the yellow gloves she was wearing, “I’d better go to the store,” she said, not quite meeting Emma’s eyes. “I noticed we were running low on food when I made breakfast today.”

Emma rolled her eyes at this obvious lie. She would be amused if her mother weren’t being so annoying. She moved to the side that Snow was heading. When her mother changed direction, she moved the other way.

“Emma,” said Snow, for the first time sounding irritated instead of nervous, “Get out of my way.”

Good, an annoyed Snow was an honest Snow. Emma wanted her mother back. She had missed her. This time she held out an arm when her mother tried to dodge around her, only she underestimated her, a bad habit she really needed to stop doing. Snow escaped and was nearly to the door when Emma turned faux casually and said, “I didn’t think my mother was a coward.”

The upwards motion of Snow’s shoulders indicated a sigh and she turned, her coat only half on her shoulders. Her green eyes met her daughter’s, and the stubborn set of her chin was identical. “I’m not.”

The words tried to be firm, but Emma could tell her heart wasn’t in them. “Then why do you keep running away from me?” demanded Emma, moving closer to her mother.

This time the words held more honesty, “I’m not running away…exactly.”

“It seems like it,” Emma said, letting some of her hurt show through. “You don’t want to talk to me. Since when do _you_ not want to talk to me?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, it’s just that certain things are…private.”

“Since when?” Emma snorted. This was another area where having parents the same age as you was a pain in the ass. They thought they should know everything about her life but they still tried to “protect” her from things in their lives. Snow sighed again, and lowered her head. It was a familiar gesture from little Snow, whose long hair would curtain her face when she felt like hiding. _Muscle memory_ , Emma thought. She wondered why Regina had chosen to take Snow’s hair, of all things. Was it just a continuation of the punishment she heaped upon her, or was it a too-obvious reminder of the little girl who had admired her so? The sudden tenderness that overcame Emma surprised her. Nobody else in her life, even Neal, had simultaneously irritated and affected her as much as the three people who shared this little apartment. She walked closer to her mother, and reached out for her hand, using the same easy affection and lack of apprehension she had shared with little Snow. She smiled when Snow’s warm fingers easily enclosed her own. Emma pulled her mother to the couch to sit, so her mother looked like she was less perched to flee. “What’s going on?” she demanded.

Snow’s hand clenched a little in hers. “When David and I were…small you took care of us. You protected us.”

“Of course I did,” Emma’s voice lowered in it’s intensity. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

“Oh, I know that sweetheart,” the endearment slipped out easily, along with a small smile.

“So why…?”

“You brushed my hair, you tucked us in bed, you read us stories…” this time Snow’s stare didn’t falter.

“You didn’t get to do that for me,” Emma finished quietly.

“It’s so strange,” Snow admitted. “You were given the…I don’t know whether it would be considered a…curse or an opportunity…” she trailed off.

Emma sighed, trying to pull away for a minute. She couldn’t help that her parents had missed her childhood and that she was an adult now. She didn’t have control over that. “I-“

Snow held onto Emma’s hand, “That’s not why I was avoiding you.” She chewed on her lower lip for a minute as her daughter cast a suspicious look at her. “We were different,” Snow began. “More vulnerable.”

“Well, yeah,” said Emma. “You were eleven.”

“Didn’t the way…Did what we say or do bother you at all?”

Snow was fishing, but Emma honestly didn’t know for what. “No,” she said slowly. “I mean, it would have been nice if you weren’t landing into trouble every five minutes, but that’s pretty much the way it’s always been. You were just pint-sized this time.” Emma looked at her mother to see if she had coaxed a smile, it would have won one from David, Snow too when she wasn’t so somber.

Snow just looked at her, scanning her eyes as if searching for something. “The way I acted? Around other people?”

Emma finally released a breath as she realized where her mother was going, “You mean with Regina.”

Snow’s face was so still that it was obvious she was right. “Yes,” she said quietly.

Knowing her mother was looking for a true answer, Emma thought for a moment, rubbing her forehead in consternation. “It was weird, I guess. I mean, I guess I really understood why things are so screwed up between you guys.”

If possible, Snow’s face became more still. “What do you mean?”

Suddenly, Emma felt as if she had been sent a note (via bluebird of course) that said, _Enjoy skipping! By the way – you’re in a minefield!_ “I guess it’s because of how you feel,” she said slowly.

“I hate her,” Snow’s voice was low, full of warning.

“Yeah, but…,” Emma looked at her mother’s face and stopped. “Hey, its fine with me if you want to hate Regina. You can hate her all you want.”

“I do!” Snow’s voice snapped.

“Okay,” said Emma, holding up a hand to calm the growing ire in her mother’s voice.

“I do!” said Snow again, sounding more frantic, the words spilling out quickly. “She came to the castle that night…the night of the curse,” rapid color was mounting her cheeks. “She was going to kill you. I knew that. She wasn’t going to kill me, I knew that too, but she would have killed you.” Her hand tightened so painfully on Emma’s that the other woman drew in a sharp breath. Snow continued, only seeing the past. “When I…When I gave you to your father, I thought my heart was breaking. I didn’t know if I could live again. It hurt to breath. It hurt to move. All I could see was your little face. All I could feel was your little fingers around mine.” Snow was crying now, and Emma felt wetness on her own cheeks. “The only thing that saved you was your father, and he was bleeding all over the floor of your nursery when I found him again. And when Regina came in…she smiled. She smiled when she saw him…and me,” Snow sobbed a little, then bit her lip with startling ferociousness until it bled. “I could almost forgive her, after what she did to my father, and I loved him very much. But you…” this time, Snow raised Emma’s hands to her lips and kissed them tenderly, cupping one to her cheek and holding it there. Emma felt her breath catch, as she saw the raw love in her eyes. “You were my baby. You were my baby and she would have killed you. I had to send you away. Away from me and your father and our home. I hate her,” the sobs came from deep within her. “I hate her for that.”

Emma sobbed too, and let her mother draw her into a fierce hug, her arms around her like the Gordian knot, never to be undone. They stayed that way for long moments, Emma breathing quietly, measuring her breaths against her mother’s. When she felt it slow, she leaned away for a moment, looking at her mother again. “It’s okay for you to hate Regina,” she repeated carefully. She thought of the happiness on little Snow’s face when Regina did her hair, and the edging-to-softness look in Regina’s eyes, when she looked at Snow at times. She took a deep breath, “But it’s also okay if you love her, even a little bit.”

Snow paled and opened her mouth a few times. “What kind of mother…” she began, then stopped.

Her eyes were wide, and at that moment, Emma saw the hurt child within her mother. “I will never, ever be mad at you for loving Regina,” Emma said with great deliberation. “And I will never think you’re a terrible person or a bad mother for doing that.”

“I hate her,” Snow all but whimpered, her eyes wide and wet.

Her daughter nodded, “I know. But I think you love her a little bit too.” Her mother’s eyes closed in helpless defeat. “You’re mad at yourself but you  shouldn’t be. You can’t always make your heart listen to the rest of you.”

“Emma,” it was a whisper. “I love you so much. If she ever tried to hurt you…”

“You’d kill her. I know that too. Stop beating yourself up for loving a woman you thought of as your mother.”

There were no words, and Emma let herself be held again by the woman who was both her mother and her best friend. Snow’s heart beat rapidly, like a bird held in the hand of a protective giant, slowing only when Emma relaxed against her and whispered, “I love you Mom. Always. You and Dad and Henry. Always.”

 

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Several days after the “re-biggening”, as Henry called it, Snow was almost entirely back to herself, something her daughter, grandson, and husband were very happy about. She and David were hip-deep in trouble, as usual. Little David and Snow, had managed to start a bit of a civil war between Rumpelstiltskin, the fairies, and King George. While it hadn’t turned fatal, due to some judiciously placed magic and some dealings that made nobody truly happy (the very definition of a compromise, David had said), people in the small village were on edge. Coming from a town meeting, Snow had spat, “We’ve got fairy problems,” and Emma had just shook her head at her life. “Yeah, that’s never going to sound normal,” she said. As expected, Snow was especially irritated to learn she had made several deals in her child form, prompting her to ask Emma in exasperation, “What were you doing this whole time?” Emma responded to this completely unfair accusation by laughing, and patting her mother rather condescendingly on the hand, “Don’t blame me because I couldn’t control you. That’s a job for an entire army (or Regina – she thought but didn’t say as that was still a tender point with her mother). Henry manfully tried to own up to his part in the problem, but other than a stern talking-to, his grandparents didn’t blame him.

It seemed like life in Storybrook would continue it’s awkward, meandering, life-in-two-worlds flavor, that is until the next giant, or witch, or mermaid showed up on the shores again to lead them into the next adventure. Emma had decided to relish the relative quietness of the town and let her parents make a fuss over her and try to compensate for the trouble they had caused. Since it consisted of her getting treated to doughnuts and being allowed to decide what they watched on TV and listened to on the radio, she reveled in it. The apartment was still tiny but it was definitely home.

Regina had been avoiding the family for the most part, although she did spend her scheduled time with Henry as usual. She and Snow circled one another uneasily, but said no more then four words at a time.

Henry came back from her house one day, his backpack unusually full, and plopped himself onto the couch where his grandmother was cuddled next to his grandfather.

He looked at her, his mouth quirking in a grin that always reminded her of Emma and her husband. “What is it Henry?” she asked, as Emma came to join them, seating herself on the large comfortable chair across from them.

“I found something of yours,” Henry said brightly. “It was at Mom’s.  It was in a drawer. I asked her and she said that I should give it back to you.” He pulled out the familiar baby blanket, handing it to her with great relish. “She didn’t want to talk about it, but I think she repaired it. When King George came to get you guys it got trashed.”

Snow stroked it hesitantly, unsure of what to expect. The blanket felt as it always had, the wool warming her fingers and the silk feeling as smooth as ever. She looked at David who looked worried, then Emma who was thoughtful, then Henry’s face, which shone with an eager grin. “I think she was saving it Grams. She didn’t mean to have me find it.”

Snow touched his cheek gently, “Thank you Henry.”

Henry’s grin widened and he allowed her to give him a kiss, then scooted over to Emma where he squished himself against her until he was sitting half on her, and half in the chair. He sighed happily.

Emma gave his head a kiss, nodding at David’s look as he put his arms more tightly around her mother. Snow’s face was thoughtful as she fingered the blanket. She wasn’t looking for more complication in her life, but she was young, and her family was young. Their story certainly wasn’t over and maybe there were other happy endings to be had.

 


End file.
